Inorganic　antimicrobial　materials　have　the　advantages　of　high　safety,　strong　durability,　stable　antimicrobial　performance,　and　good　heat　resistance　compared　with　organic　antimicrobial　materials.　In　this　study,　Fe-doped　small　zinc　oxide　nanoparticles　(FZO-NPs)　with　different　iron　contents　were　synthesized　and　then　modified　with　3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane　(APTES)　and　poly(ethylene　glycol)−600　(PEG-600)　to　afford　FZO-APs.　FZO-APs　which　were　fully　characterized　can　disperse　in　water　with　good　dispersity　and　improved　stability.　In　antimicrobial　tests,　FZO-AP4　displayed　excellent　antimicrobial　effects　under　10　min　of　365　nm　UV　light　against　Gram-negative　bacteria　Escherichia　coli　(E.　coli)　and　Gram-positive　bacteria　Staphylococcus　aureus　(S.　aureus)　with　a　minimum　inhibitory　concentration　(MIC)　of　0.20　and　0.15　mg/mL,　respectively.　The　antimicrobial　mechanism　studies　revealed　that　the　consumption　of　glutathione　(GSH)　and　ascorbic　acid　(ASA),　and　the　generation　of　reactive　oxygen　species　(ROS)　could　trigger　lipid　peroxidation　(LPO)　and　ultimately　induce　ferroptosis　in　bacterial　cells.　The　cause　of　the　cell　wall/membrane　damage　and　the　released　Zn/Fe　ions　from　the　nanoparticles　inside　the　bacterial　cells　further　promote　the　antimicrobial　effects.　In　addition,　FZO-AP4　showed　high　inhibitory　effects　on　bacterial　biofilm　formation　and　significantly　disrupted　the　formed　biofilm.　Interestingly,　higher　bacterial　biofilm　residuals　and　bacterial　survival　were　found　in　E.　coli　than　in　S.　aureus　after　FZO-AP4　treatment,　suggesting　a　potential　link　between　the　quorum　sensing　(QS)　system　of　the　bacteria　and　their　different　susceptibility　towards　FZO-AP4.　This　study　proved　the　antibacterial　effects　of　small　water-soluble　FZO-APs　which　is　meaningful　for　the　design　and　development　of　new　inorganic　nano-material　for　antimicrobial　applications.　©　2024　Elsevier　B.V.