Copper sulfide nanoclusters with multi-enzyme-like activities and its application in acid phosphatase sensing based on enzymatic cascade reaction

Nanozymes are artificial enzymes, which can substitute natural enzymes for wide range of catalysis-based applications. However, it is challenging to explore novel mimic enzymes or multi-enzyme mimics. Herein we report the facile preparation of uniform CuS nanoclusters (NCs), which possessed outstanding tetra-enzyme mimetic catalytic activities, including peroxidase (POD)-mimics, catalase (CAT)-mimics, ascorbic acid oxidase (AAO)-mimics and superoxide dismutase (SOD)-mimics. The catalytic mechanism of POD-like was coming from the oxygen vacancies of CuS. Furthermore, the steady-state kinetics of POD-, CAT- and AAO mimics of CuS NCs were systematically explored. On basis of the enzymatic cascade reaction that acid phosphatase (ACP) involved in a weak acidic environment, in the presence of O-phenylenediamine, quinoxaline fluorescent substance will be generated. Thus, a fluorescent biosensor platform was proposed for detection of ACP with the linear range of 0.05–25 U L−1 and limit of detection of 0.01 U L−1. The as-proposed method was applicable to real serum sample detection accurately and reproducibly. Considering the simple preparation, good stability, excellent multi-enzyme activities and controllable experimental operation, CuS NCs would provide a basis for expanding to other biocatalytic and biomedical applications.