Themed collection Editors’ collection: Fluorescent Sensors

Biosensors with high sensitivity, selectivity and a low limit of detection, reaching nano/picomolar concentrations of biomolecules, are important to the medical sciences and healthcare industry for evaluating physiological and metabolic parameters.

As Lewis acids, boronic acids can bind with 1,2- or 1,3-diols in aqueous solution reversibly and covalently to form five or six cyclic esters, thus resulting in significant fluorescence changes.

Recent advances in non-invasive techniques for skin cancer diagnosis.

This review summarizes current advances on the design and the employment of fluorescent carbon dots in sensing applications, especially from the point of analytical view.

Formaldehyde (FA), as a vital industrial chemical, is widely used in building materials and numerous living products.

A new twisted dye (BF₂-TP) was synthesized, it possesses distinct mechanofluorochromism with large spectral shift of 62 nm.

An efficient Rh(III)-catalyzed annulation of arylamides with 3-diazoquinolinediones for the construction of diverse and highly functionalized isochromenoquinolinedione derivatives is described.

The complexation of three cationic fluorescent dye guests with the anionic host carboxylato-pillar[6]arene (WP6) was investigated by optical and NMR spectroscopy.

A simple solution based approach for generation of WLEM and its utilities in sensing of Hg²⁺ ions and cysteine.

An anthracene-(aminomethyl)phenylboronic acid ester-BODIPY (DJ-1) structure was developed as a fluorescent sensor based on photo-induced electron transfer (PET) and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) for detection of water in solvents.

A novel bis-benzimidazole organic siloxane precursor (BBM-Si) was prepared, and was combined with tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as a mixed Si source.

Anisotropic fluorescent nanofibers constructed from the self-assembled perylene bisimide derivative and poly(vinylidene fluoride) show high sensitivity and short response time to aniline vapor.

Highly luminescent carbon dots (CDs) are obtained from mint leaves adopting a simple and cost effective route devoid of additional chemical reagents and functionalization.

An aptamer-based method for the ultrasensitive fluorescence detection of C-reactive protein (CRP) was developed using the ribonuclease H (RNase H) assisted DNA recycling signal amplification strategy.

A TPE-based AIEE-active fluorescent sensor for Hg²⁺ was synthesized. Furthermore, it showed solvatochromism and cell imaging characteristics.

Fluorescent polymer dots for tracking macrophage cells in deep organs using probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE).

Probe 2a exhibiting high sensitivity, good selectivity, wide pH range, lower detection limit, and rapid detection for Al³⁺, probe 2a was applied for the successful detection of Al³⁺ in water samples, food samples and HeLa cells.

(a) Polyurethanes with higher content of TABDAA2 presented better positive correlation between fluorescence and strain. (b) Sensing mechanism of STMPU-50 for detection of HCl.

Fluorescent carbon dots for the selective and sensitive detection of Fe³⁺ ions with a wide detection range and very low detection limit.

An efficient fluorescent probe Pyr-Rhy based on pyrazole was developed, which can detect Hg²⁺ in water.

Herein, N-doped carbon dots with excellent fluorescence characteristics were prepared by a solvent-free, microwave-assisted method and employed for the fluorometric detection of Cr(VI) and bioimaging.

Permanent porosity plays a key role in fluorescent-based polymers with “on–off” emissive properties due to the role of guest adsorption at accessible fluorophore sites of the polymer framework.

A dual emissive Ir(III)/Eu(III) dyad in a paper-based luminescence assay for liquid chemical warfare agents demonstrated clear visual responses.

A fluorescent sensor array composed of upconversion nanomaterials to distinguish the same variety of red grape wines was constructed.

We report three lanthanide-coordination polymers assembled with a resorcin[4]arene ligand, where 1 and 2 could be applied as fluorescent sensors for N,N′-dimethylformamide and Fe³⁺ ion.

In this paper, we presented a new method for constructing near-infrared fluorescence probes and their applications in detecting glucose and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂).

Sensitive and rapid detection of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) without using antibody or biomolecular modifications in water is achieved using a novel water-stable luminescent metal–organic framework (LMOF) termed Zr-CAU-24.

A promising electrochemical sensing platform for the detection of methyl parathion based on cationic water-soluble pillar[5]arene reduced graphene nanocomposite.

Blue luminescent nitrogen-doped carbon nanodots (N-CDs) with pH-dependent properties were prepared from citric acid (CA), glutathione (GSH), and polyethylene polyamine (PEPA) using a two-step pyrolytic route.

A novel biosensing platform was developed by integrating a new ssDNA aptamer and graphene oxide (GO) for highly sensitive and selective detection of liver cancer biomarkers (AFP).

A new fluorescent turn-off–on sensor was developed based on the the rhodamine B derivatives (RBP) modified UCNPs to detect Cu²⁺ and pyrophosphate (PPi).

A simple fluorescent sensor for water content based on carbon quantum dots with yellow fluorescence was first demonstrated.

A smartphone-based fluorescence microscope for detection of bacteria in complex samples using a species-specific peptide nucleic acid probe.

Complexes with strong fluorescence can conveniently detect the trace organic pollutant amitrole and repeatedly recognize toxic Cd²⁺with a low detection limit.

Conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) containing tetraphenylethylene (TPE) were synthesized via the Suzuki coupling polymerization.

A novel colorimetric and fluorometric sensor with unique dual-channel emission to sequentially detect Cu²⁺ and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) was synthesized from naphthalimide–rhodamine B through the PET and FRET mechanism.

A novel colorimetric and fluorescent dual-channel probe was developed for acetylcholinesterase detection and inhibitor screening with high sensitivity and selectivity.

A “Turn-On” fluorescent probe PBT for sensitive and selective detection of fluoride ions based on aggregation-induced emission.

A novel sensing strategy for sensitive detection of mucin 1 protein (MUC1) based on deoxyribonuclease I-aided target recycling signal amplification was proposed.

An “on–off–on” fluorescent phosphorus/nitrogen co-doped carbon dot (PNCD) probe was explored for the determination of Cr(VI) and dopamine resulting from the inner filter effect (IFE).

A FRET-based fluorescent and colorimetric chemo-sensor has been designed and synthesized for the selective and sensitive detection of picric acid.

Commercialized polyanetholesulfonic acid sodium salts have AIE activity and room temperature phosphorescence characteristics.

A novel multifunctional chemosensor HL bearing a julolidine unit and a Schiff base unit has been synthesized.

Efforts were made to develop a simple new approach for the green synthesis of surface-passivated carbon dots from edible prickly pear cactus fruit as the carbon source by a one-pot hydrothermal route.

Four difluoroboron (BF₂) β-diketonate nopinone complexes 3a–3d which exhibited typical AIE property were synthesized. Owing to high absolute fluorescence quantum yields of 3b, EL device based on 3b was fabricated, which exhibits a blue-green light.

The fluorescence of carbon dots self-assembled multilayers (CDs SAMs) can be enhanced by graphene, the sensing sensitivity for tetracycline hydrochloride of CDs SAMs with graphene is two orders higher than that of SAMs without graphene.

Sensitive detection of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF₁₆₅) is important for early cancer disease diagnosis in the clinic.

“Turn-on” fluorescence detection for p53 gene based on target-triggered opening of hairpin DNA probe and synthesis of DNA-Ag NCs.

A dual-signaling of fluorescence and UV/vis absorption modes for selective and quantitative detection of cysteine over homocysteine, N-acetyl-L-cysteine and glutathione is developed on the basis of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) effect.

A theranostic drug delivery system composed of tetraphenylethene (AIE-gen), benzyl-boronic ester (trigger) and doxorubicin (drug) was synthesized and its functions in cell imaging, drug delivery tracking, and therapeutic effect were evaluated.

Polytriphenylamines with tetraphenylethylene (TPE) side groups and bis(tert-butyl)-TPE in the backbones exhibit the AIE effect and high sensitivity in PL-based TNT detection.

Colloidal quantum dot chains self-assembled via the mediation of trithiocyanuric acid (TTCA) and ratiometric fluorescent sensing with blue emitting carbon dots (CDs) for As(III).

AIE-active cyanostyrylbenzimidazole derivative TBM exhibited reversible mechanofluorochromism and acidochromism characteristics.

Amino groups terminated luminescent SiNPs have been designed for ratiometric visual detection of OTC in vitro and milk samples.

A fluorescent sensor based on graphene quantum dots (GQDs) was developed for the determination of silver ions (Ag⁺).

Herein, a fluorescent sensor based on the mechanism of the deprotonation process was designed and synthesized, which could detect Hg²⁺ in aqueous solution with remarkable fluorescence color changed (from yellow to light blue).

A novel pillar[5]arene-based fluorescent polymer has been synthesized, and it is used for fluorescence detection and removal of the toxic mercury ions.

Chiral and non-conjugated fluorescent salen ligands with a cyclohexane/1,2-diphenylethane bridge have small π-conjugated systems but exhibit strong aggregation/anion/amino acid-induced emission.

The first reported on-chip fluorescent sensor consisting of fully solution processed organic light sources and detectors.

Two promising, highly selective, water soluble, Cu(II) sensors were synthesized in two reaction steps, using C–H functionalization reactions.