Proteomics-decoded capture kill mechanism of CuAgOx/UiO-66-NH₂ for dark inactivation of pathogenic bacteria

Exposure to airborne pathogens poses a persistent threat to human health, while most antimicrobial technologies are light dependent and fail to deliver round the clock protection. In this work, a "capture catalysis dual function" strategy is proposed to remain efficient inactivation of E. coli and S. aureus in the dark by constructing a CuAgOx/UiO-66-NH₂ composite catalyst. Under dark conditions, 60% CAO/UiO achieves > 99.99% inactivation of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus within 12 min, accompanied by a markedly suppressed bacterial regrowth rate. In a restroom bioaerosol scenario, the catalyst inactivates > 98.0% of airborne bacteria and exhibits concurrent antifungal activity, demonstrating robustness in complex airborne matrices. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal an increased density of active electronic states and strengthened adsorption/activation of O₂ and carboxyl containing groups, which together promote efficient bacterial capture and accelerate oxygen activation toward reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in the dark. Fluorescence live/dead staining confirms severe membrane compromise, while gel electrophoresis evidences pronounced DNA fragmentation, collectively indicating irreversible bacteria damage. Proteomics further deciphers a cooperative "capture-oxygen activation multi pathway oxidative inactivation" mechanism, characterized by oxidative stress responses, translation inhibition, metabolic collapse, and structural instability in bacteria. Overall, this work establishes a light independent material platform for rapid pathogen suppression and provides mechanistic guidance for designing antimicrobial materials suited for dark and real-world bioaerosol environments.