Light-Activated Antibacterial Nanoscale Films: Metallo-Organics for Catalytic Generation of Chemically Accessible Singlet-Oxygen in Water

We demonstrated a heterogeneous and efficient photocatalytic method to reduce the bacterial content in water with reusable metallo-organic thin films. These functionalized assemblies constructed of a network of polypyridyl complexes generate reactive singlet oxygen upon visible light irradiation that induces lysis of bacterial cells. The singlet oxygen photosensitizers are robust and were successfully applied to surface water samples contaminated with both Gram-positive and -negative bacteria. The catalytic formation of singlet oxygen by our antibacterial coatings was confirmed chemically by reactions with both inorganic and organic compounds.