From phosphorus to phosphorene: Applications in disease theranostics

Abstract

As one of the main elements in the living organisms, phosphorus makes an important impact on the life activity. Phosphorus contained compounds have been widely applied in the biomedical field. As nanotechnology develops, a variety of phosphorus-based nanomaterials have also been developed for the biomedical application. The recently discovered superior biological property of two-dimensional black phosphorus (2D BP), i.e. phosphorene, including low toxicity and biodegradability, makes it especially outstanding, such as biosensors for the disease diagnosis. Upon light or ultrasound irradiation on the phosphorene, reactive oxygen species (ROS) or heat can be generated for the disease therapy. Moreover, phosphorene can smartly and efficiently deliver drugs. Thus, it is suitable in many single or combined therapy modalities. This short article reviews the progress from phosphorus to phosphorene to be used as biomedical materials, especially the phosphorene as the biosensor and sensitizer for the disease diagnosis and therapy, including the tumor, the neurodegenerative disease, the bone disease and other diseases. The challenges and prospective of the phosphorene for the biomedical applications are also discussed.