Antibacterial Activity and the Mechanism of the Z-Scheme Bi(2)MoO(6)/Bi(5)O(7)I Heterojunction under Visible Light

Z-scheme Bi(2)MoO(6)/Bi(5)O(7)I heterojunction was constructed by an in situ solvothermal method, which was composed of Bi(2)MoO(6) nanosheets growing on the surface of Bi(5)O(7)I microrods. The antibacterial activities under illumination towards Escherichia coli (E. coli) were investigated. The Bi(2)MoO(6)/Bi(5)O(7)I composites exhibited more outstanding antibacterial performance than pure Bi(2)MoO(6) and Bi(5)O(7)I, and the E. coli (10(8) cfu/mL) was completely inactivated by BM/BI-3 under 90 min irradiation. Additionally, the experiment of adding scavengers revealed that h(+), •O(2)(−) and •OH played an important role in the E. coli inactivation process. The E. coli cell membrane was damaged by the oxidation of h(+), •O(2)(−) and •OH, and the intracellular components (K(+), DNA) subsequently released, which ultimately triggered the apoptosis of the E. coli cell. The enhanced antibacterial performance of Bi(2)MoO(6)/Bi(5)O(7)I heterojunction is due to the formation of Z-scheme heterojunction with the effective charge transfer via the well-contacted interface of Bi(2)MoO(6) and Bi(5)O(7)I. This study provides useful guidance on how to construct Bi(5)O(7)I-based heterojunction for water disinfection with abundant solar energy.