Oxygen-Deficient Bi2MoO6@sRuO2@HA heterojunction for photocatalytic treatment of drug-resistant bacterial infections

Abstract

Antibacterial Photocatalytic Therapy (APCT) is a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of bacterial infections, but it faces challenges such as low light utilization efficiency, insufficient reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and limited antibacterial efficacy. In this work, a novel Bi₂MoO₆@sRuO₂@HA heterojunction (BMOsRH heterojunction) was constructed to address these limitations. The key innovation of this heterojunction lies in the introduction of sRuO₂, which provides an effective charge carrier transfer interface for separated electrons and holes in Bi₂MoO₆, significantly delaying electron-hole recombination and promoting redox reactions that generate highly toxic ROS, thus enhancing antibacterial effects. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicated that BMOsRH possesses photocatalytic activity triply enhanced by near-infrared light absorption, defects, and the heterojunction. Consequently, under the combined action of near-infrared light and hydrogen peroxide, BMOsRH exhibited nearly 100 % antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and could also disrupt their biofilms. Furthermore, in mouse wound and abscess models of MRSA infection, BMOsRH effectively eliminated bacteria via mild photothermal therapy and significantly downregulated the inflammatory factors IL-1β and TNF-α, promoting rapid wound healing. In summary, this light-controlled therapeutic strategy shows great potential for antibacterial applications.