A novel nanosensor with peroxidase enzyme-mimetic activity, based on CuS-BSA-Cu-3(PO4)(2) nanoparticles, was developed. CuS-BSA nanoparticles were first synthesized using a facile bio-mineralization assay. Conjugation of Cu-3(PO4)(2) with CuS-BSA generates CuS-BSA-Cu-3(PO4)(2) nanoparticles (NPs) of 10 nm in size with high catalytic activity against a peroxidase substrate, 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB). The catalytic action was based on a remarkable color change from colorless TMB into blue oxidized product (oxTMB) with absorption maximum at 654 nm. The enzyme-mimetic activity of CuS-BSA-Cu-3(PO4)(2) nanoparticles was believed to occur through hydroxyl radical (HO center dot) generation in presence of H2O2, which was inhibited upon addition of dopamine. Increasing concentrations of dopamine induced a gradual decrease of the nanoparticles' catalytic activity. The developed colorimetric sensor displayed a limit of detection of 0.13 mM for dopamine over 0.05-100 mM linear range and high specificity. The performance of the nanosensor for sensing dopamine in beef meat and blood samples was evaluated and proved to be promising for diagnostic applications without the requirement of complex and expensive instrumentation. (c) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.