Bovine serum albumin (BSA)-encapsulated copper sulfide nanocrystals
(CuS NCs) were prepared by heating an alkaline solution containing
copper ions and BSA without an additional sulfur source. At a high
BSA concentration (0.8 mM), nanoassembly of the as-formed CuS NCs
occurs to form BSA–CuS NCs as a result of the formation of
BSA gel-like structures. In addition to their intrinsic photothermal
properties, the BSA–CuS NCs possess rich surface vacancies
and thus exhibit enzyme-like and photodynamic activities. Spontaneous
generation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) led to
the in situ formation of copper peroxide (CPO) nanodots
on the BSA–CuS NCs to catalyze singlet oxygen radical generation.
The antimicrobial response was enhanced by >60-fold upon NIR laser
irradiation, which was ascribed to the combined effect of the photodynamic
and photothermal inactivation of bacteria. Furthermore, BSA–CuS
NCs were transdermally administered onto a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus-infected wound and eradicated
>99% of bacteria in just 1 min under NIR illumination due to the additional
peroxidase-like activity of BSA–CuS NCs, transforming H2O2 at the infection site into hydroxyl radicals
and thus increasing the synergistic effect from photodynamic and photothermal
treatment. The BSA–CuS NCs exhibited insignificant in vitro cytotoxicity and hemolysis and thus can serve as
highly biocompatible bactericides in preclinical applications to effectively
eradicate bacteria.