Hierarchical porous MoS2 particles: excellent multi-enzyme-like activities, mechanism and its sensitive phenol sensing based on inhibition of sulfite oxidase mimics

It is important to exploit highly efficient methods for detecting pollutants selectively and sensitively. Artificial enzymes are promising to replace natural enzymes with diverse functions for sustainable developments and various applications. However, it remains the challenge to develop novel mimic enzymes or multi-enzyme mimics for pollutant detection. Herein we report hierarchical porous MoS 2 particles prepared by a simple hydrothermal method, which demonstrated excellent sulfite oxidase (SuO x )-, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) oxidase- and superoxide dismutase-mimicking activities. In addition, the catalytic conditions for SuO x -like and NADH oxidase-like activities of MoS 2 were optimized. The catalytic mechanism of the NADH oxidase mimics is that O 2 involves in the oxidation of NADH, to generate O 2 .- intermediate and finally turn to H 2 O 2 , while SuO x mimics comes from that MoS 2 particles can effectively catalyze sulfite to reduce [Fe(CN) 6 ] 3- . Based on the excellent SuO x -like activity of MoS 2 particles, while phenol can inhibit the oxidation of sulfite, a phenol colorimetric sensor was explored with the dynamic range of 2–1000 μM and the limit of detection of 0.72 μM, applicable to detect phenol in effluents. Therefore, MoS 2 particles with the SuO x -like, NADH oxidase-like and SOD-like activities has broad application prospects in environmental monitoring and bio-analysis.