A colorimetric assay based on an enzyme-inhibition strategy is promising for the on-site detection of pesticide residues. Due to the high cost and low stability of enzymes, nanozymes (nanomaterials with enzyme-like activities) are widely developed as substitutes of enzymes. However, the inhibition of pesticides toward enzymes and nanozymes generally lacks selectivity. It is of great significance and challenge to design a specific pesticide assay based on an activity-inhibition strategy. Here, we discovered that iridium nanoparticles possess both peroxidase-like and oxidase-like activities under the same conditions, and their catalytic mechanisms are different. The synergistic effect of dual enzyme-like activities enhanced the colorimetric signal. Interestingly, the dual enzyme-mimicking activities could be simultaneously inhibited, and the inhibition effect exhibited high selectivity toward malathion. Considering the popularity and the hazards of malathion, a malathion assay method based on activity inhibition was established without enzymes and a redundant process. The synergistic effect of the selective inhibition of dual enzyme-like activities enhanced the selectivity and sensitivity. The proposed assay strategy opens up an avenue for specific assay of various pesticides.

DNase‐catalyzed hydrolysis of extracellular DNA (eDNA) has been widely employed to eradicate intractable biofilms. Although aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) has become the ideal tool for killing planktonic bacteria, AIE luminogens (AIEgens) often lack DNase‐mimetic activity, so as to suffer from poor anti‐biofilm capacity. Here, an “AIEzyme”, a kind of AIE nanomaterial with enzyme‐like activity, is designed and synthesized, where the AIEgens are used as the ligands of Zr‐based coordination polymer nanoparticles. Not only does AIEzyme have enduring DNase‐mimetic activity with low activation energy, but also structural rigidity‐stabilized fluorescence. Due to the long‐acting hydrolysis for eDNA in biofilm, AIEzyme can efficiently disorganize the established biofilms with good penetrability and realize the healing of superbug‐infected wounds under only one dose of AIEzyme. This work provides a strategy to endow ordinary AIEgens with DNase‐like and anti‐biofilm activities. Moreover, AIEzymes can be observed by virtue of their own AIE character, facilitating the study on self‐positioning and residual amount of AIEzymes in wounds. The concept “AIEzyme” would hopefully stimulate the tremendous expansion for the tool kits and the application of AIEgens and artificial enzymes.

DNase-catalyzed hydrolysis of extracellular DNA (eDNA) have been widely employed to eradicate intractable biofilms. Although aggregation-induced emission (AIE) has become the ideal tool for killing planktonic bacteria, AIE luminogens (AIEgens) often lack DNase-mimetic activity, in order to suffer from poor anti-biofilm capacity. Here, an “AIEzyme”, a kind of AIE nanomaterial with enzyme-like activity, is designed and synthesized, where the AIEgens are used as the ligands of Zr-based coordination polymer nanoparticles. Not only do AIEzyme have enduring DNase-mimetic activity with high substrate affinity and low activation energy, but also structural rigidity-stabilized fluorescence. Due to the long-acting hydrolysis for eDNA in biofilm, AIEzyme can efficiently disorganize the established biofilms with good penetrability and realize the healing of superbugs-infected wound for at least seven days under only one dose of AIEzyme. Moreover, AIEzymes can be observed by virtue of their own AIE character, facilitating the study on self-positioning and residual amount of AIEzymes in wound. On the support of AIEzyme, we expect to explore an idea for the application development of AIEgen.

DNase-catalyzed hydrolysis of extracellular DNA (eDNA) have been widely employed to eradicate intractable biofilms. Although aggregation-induced emission (AIE) has become the ideal tool for killing planktonic bacteria, AIE luminogens (AIEgens) often lack DNase-mimetic activity, in order to suffer from poor anti-biofilm capacity. Here, an “AIEzyme”, a kind of AIE nanomaterial with enzyme-like activity, is designed and synthesized, where the AIEgens are used as the ligands of Zr-based coordination polymer nanoparticles. Not only do AIEzyme have enduring DNase-mimetic activity with high substrate affinity and low activation energy, but also structural rigidity-stabilized fluorescence. Due to the long-acting hydrolysis for eDNA in biofilm, AIEzyme can efficiently disorganize the established biofilms with good penetrability and realize the healing of superbugs-infected wound for at least seven days under only one dose of AIEzyme. Moreover, AIEzymes can be observed by virtue of their own AIE character, facilitating the study on self-positioning and residual amount of AIEzymes in wound. On the support of AIEzyme, we expect to explore an idea for the application development of AIEgen.