Facile synthesis of oxygen defective yolk–shell BiO2−x for visible-light-driven photocatalytic inactivation of Escherichia coli

Oxygen deficient yolk–shell BiO_2−x microspheres prepared by facile solvothermal method showed great inactivation ability toward Escherichia coli, due to its enhanced light absorption ability and separation ability of photoinduced carriers. Reactive species O₂⁻ and H₂O₂ guaranteed this prominent oxidation ability toward bacterial cells.