Detection of cyanide ion by chemosensing and fluorosensing technology

A Novel Naphthylidene-diimine Chemosensor for Selective Colorimetric and Fluorometric Detection of Al3+ and CN- Ions

A naphthylidene-diimine L2 was newly designed, and its structure was identified by elemental analysis and spectroscopic methods. The effect of temperature, acid-base and light on enol-keto tautomerism in this Schiff base was evaluated by colorimetry, UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. Under irradiation 365 nm, L2 emitted yellow, orange and strong green emission in pure, basic and aqueous DMSO media (v/v, 1/1), respectively. Its ionochromic behavior against various cations (Fe3+, Al3+, Cr3+, Cu2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Pb2+, Ba2+ and Ag+) and anions (F-, Cl-, CH3COO-, SO32-, S2O32-, HSO4-, H2PO4-, NO3-, CN-, and OH-) was investigated in aqueous DMSO media (v/v, 1/1) by UV-Vis and fluorescence experiments. Dark yellow color of L2 changed to colorless for Fe3+, Cr3+ and HSO4- ions, and turned to light yellow for Al3+ and Cu2+ ions, and to orange for CN- and OH- ions. According to UV-Vis data, the chemosensor displayed selective recognition towards Fe3+, Al3+, Cu2+, HSO4-, CN- and OH- with a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio. At the excitation wavelength of 365 nm, L2 gave strong yellowish white emission (λem = 445 and 539 nm) in the presence of Al3+, and the intensity increased about 12.5 times. On the other hand, the chemosensor displayed one emission band at 452 nm and 450 nm in the presence of CN- and OH- with 1.9 fold and 2.3 fold fluorescence enhancement, respectively.

Aggregation-Induced Emission-Based Chemiluminescence Systems in Biochemical Analysis and Disease Theranostics

Chemiluminescence (CL) is of great significance in biochemical analysis and imaging due to its high sensitivity and lack of need for external excitation. In this review, we summarized the recent progress of AIE-based CL systems, including their working mechanisms and applications in biochemical analysis, bioimaging, and disease diagnosis and treatment. In ion and molecular detection, CL shows high selectivity and high sensitivity, especially in the detection of dynamic reactive oxygen species (ROS). Further, the integrated NIR-CL single-molecule system and nanostructural CL platform harnessing CL resonance energy transfer (CRET) have remarkable advantages in long-term imaging with superior capability in penetrating deep tissue depth and high signal-to-noise ratio, and are promising in the applications of in vivo imaging and image-guided disease therapy. Finally, we summarized the shortcomings of the existing AIE-CL system and provided our perspective on the possible ways to develop more powerful CL systems in the future. It can be highly expected that these promoted CL systems will play bigger roles in biochemical analysis and disease theranostics.

Simultaneous determination of cyanide and thiocyanate in milk by GC-MS/MS using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as both phase transfer catalyst and protein precipitant

A method was developed for simultaneous determination of cyanide and thiocyanate in milk by gas chromatography-tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). Cyanide and thiocyanate were derivatized with pentafluorobenzyl bromide (PFBBr) as PFB-CN and PFB-SCN, respectively. Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) was employed both as a phase transfer catalyst and a protein precipitant in the sample pretreatment, which facilitates the separation of the organic and aqueous phases, and greatly simplifies the pretreatment procedures to achieve simultaneous and rapid determination of cyanide and thiocyanate. Under the optimized conditions, the limits of detection (LODs) of cyanide and thiocyanate in milk were 0.006 mg/kg and 0.015 mg/kg, and the spiked recoveries ranged from 90.1% to 98.2% and from 91.8% to 98.9% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) less than 18.9% and 15.2%, respectively. The proposed method was validated as a simple, fast and highly sensitive method for the determination of cyanide and thiocyanate in milk.

A new nitrile vinyl linked ultrafast receptor to track cyanide ions: Utilization on realistic samples and HeLa cell imaging

A simple D - A (donor - acceptor) type receptor ((2E, 2'E)-3, 3'-(10-octyl-10H-phenothiazine-3,7-diyl)bis(2-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)acrylonitrile)) (PBTA) containing nitrile-vinyl linkage was designed and completely characterized. The receptor PBTA detects CN^- ions based on "turn-off" effect with admirable spectral properties. It also owns some of the merits like "naked-eye" color change, ultrafast response (90 s), lowest detection limit (1.25 × 10^-10 M) as well as quantitation limit (4.17 × 10^-10 M) with the pH range 4-11 which is more suitable pH to make use of the receptor PBTA in physiological medium. The instant detecting ability of the receptor over CN^- ions was proved using paper test strip and cotton balls. Further, the utilization of the receptor PBTA was also extended to track CN^- ions in realistic samples (water and food samples) and in HeLa cells bioimaging.

Plasmonic surface-enhanced Raman scattering nano-substrates for detection of anionic environmental contaminants: Current progress and future perspectives

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy (SERS) is a powerful technique of vibrational spectroscopy based on the inelastic scattering of incident photons by molecular species. It has unique properties such as ultra-sensitivity, selectivity, non-destructivity, speed, and fingerprinting properties for analytical and sensing applications. This enables SERS to be widely used in real-world sample analysis and basic plasmonic mechanistic studies. However, the desirable properties of SERS are compromised by the high cost and low reproducibility of the signals. The development of multifunctional, stable and reusable nano-engineered SERS substrates is a viable solution to circumvent these drawbacks. Recently, plasmonic SERS active nano-substrates with various morphologies have attracted the attention of researchers due to promising properties such as the formation of dense hot spots, additional stability, tunable and controlled morphology, and surface functionalization. This comprehensive review focused on the current advances in the field of SERS active nanosubstrates suitable for the detection and quantification of anionic environmental pollutants. The common fabrication methods, including the techniques for morphological adjustments and surface modification, substrate categories, and the design of nanotechnologically fabricated plasmonic SERS substrates for anion detection are systematically presented. Here, the need for the design, synthesis, and functionalization of SERS nano-substrates for anions of great environmental importance is explained in detail. In addition, the broad categories of SERS nano-substrates, namely colloid-based SERS substrates and solid-support SERS substrates are discussed. Moreover, a brief discussion of SERS detection of certain anionic pollutants in the environment is presented. Finally, the prospects in the fabrication and commercialization of pilot-scale handheld SERS sensors and the construction of smart nanosubstrates integrated with novel amplifying materials for the detection of anions of environmental and health concern are proposed.

Progress in the Development of Imidazopyridine-Based Fluorescent Probes for Diverse Applications

Different classes of Imidazopyridine i.e., Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine, Imidazo[1,5-a] pyridine, Imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine, have shown versatile applications in various fields. In this review, we have concisely presented the usefulness of the fluorescent property of imidazopyridine in different fields such as imaging tools, optoelectronics, metal ion detection, etc. Fluorescence mechanisms such as excited state intramolecular proton transfer, photoinduced electron transfer, fluorescence resonance energy transfer, intramolecular charge transfer, etc. are incorporated in the designed fluorophore to make it for fluorescent applications. It has been widely employed for metal ion detection, where selective metal ion detection is possible with triazole-attached imidazopyridine, β-carboline imidazopyridine hybrid, quinoline conjugated imidazopyridine, and many more. Also, other popular applications involve organic light emitting diodes and cell imaging. This review shed a light on recent development in this area especially focusing on the optical properties of the molecules with their usage which would be helpful in designing application-based new imidazopyridine derivatives.

Benzothiazole appended 2,2'-(1,4-phenylene)diacetonitrile for the colorimetric and fluorescence detection of cyanide ions

A benzothiazole appended 2,2'-(1,4-phenylene)diacetonitrile derivative (2Z,2'Z)-2,2'-(1,4-phenylene)bis(3-(3-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-4-hydroxyphenyl)acrylonitrile) (PDBT) has been synthesized and investigated as a novel sensor, capable of showing high selectivity and sensitivity towards CN^- over a wide range of other interfering anions. After reaction with CN^-, PDBT shows a new absorption peak at 451 nm with a color transformation from colorless to reddish-brown. When yellow fluorescent PDBT is exposed to CN^-, it displays a significant increase in fluorescence at 445 nm, resulting in strong sky-blue fluorescence emission. The nucleophilic addition reaction of CN^- plays a role in the sensing mechanism of PDBT to CN^-. PDBT can distinguish between a broad variety of interfering anions and CN^- with remarkable selectivity and sensitivity. Furthermore, the detection limit of the PDBT probe for CN^- is 0.62 μM, which is significantly lower than the WHO standard of 1.9 μM for drinking water. Density functional theory simulations corroborated the observed fluorescence changes and the internal charge transfer process that occurs after cyanide ion addition. In addition, real-time applications of PDBT, such as cell imaging investigations and the detection of CN^- in water samples, were successfully carried out.

Design of "turn-off" luminescent Ln-MOFs for sensitive detection of cyanide anions

Two novel 2D lanthanide metal-organic frameworks (Ln-MOFs), namely {[Eu₂(DBTA)₃(DMF)₂]·DMF}_n (1) and {[Tb₂(DBTA)₃(DMF)₂]·DMF}_n (2) (H₂DBTA = 2,5-dibromoterephthalic acid), have been successfully synthesized by the solvothermal method. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction results proved that the complexes possess the same topological structure of a (4²·6)₂(4²·8⁴)(4⁷·6³)₂-connected net. The recognition of CN^- from interfering anions with a low detection limit by "turn-off" luminescence makes them promising candidates for the highly selective and sensitive detection of the cyanide ion. The Ln-MOFs 1 and 2 exhibit excellent chemical sensing properties for CN^- with efficiency, selectivity, and excellent performance in various mixed anions. The evaluation parameters, including the quenching constant and detection limit, have been investigated to obtain the detection performance for CN^-.

A rapid responsive coumarin-naphthalene derivative for the detection of cyanide ions in cell culture

Cyanide ion (CN^-) is widely used in many industrial processes; however, it causes several diseases in humans. Therefore, rapid and accurate detection of CN^- is very important and urgent. In this study, a CN^- sensor (MH-2) which was capable of detecting CN^- ions in living cell was developed. MH-2 gives a rapid color change, absorbance and fluorescence response to CN^- in the presence of the anions tested in the working system. The binding ratio between the sensor and CN^- was demonstrated by some spectrophotometric methods and the sensing mechanism was investigated by NMR titration experiments, suggesting that MH-2 gives response to CN^- via the nucleophilic addition reaction. The fluorescence detection limit and the absorbance detection limit were calculated as 0.056 μM and 0.11 μM, respectively. Both of these detection limits are below the tolerable limit recommended by WHO for CN^- in the drinking water (1.9 μM). MH-2 was also applied to living cells for bio-imaging and the results showed that the sensor penetrates the cells and can detect cyanide ions in living cells.

A coumarin coupled tetraphenylethylene based multi-targeted AIEgen for cyanide ion and nitro explosive detection, and cellular imaging

A coumarin coupled tetraphenylethylene based AIEgen (TPE-Lac) with an intense greenish-yellow emission has been synthesized and utilized for multipurpose sensing and imaging applications. TPE-Lac acts as a sensitive sensor for the detection of cyanide ions (CN^-) with an immediate turn-off response in the presence of many other interfering cations and anions. The limit of detection (LOD) was as low as 33 nM, which is well below the permissible limit set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Cyanide detection in the solid phase was successfully demonstrated by drop-casting the solution of the TPE-Lac probe on TLC plates and measuring and analysing the fluorescence response by ImageJ analysis. TPE-Lac was further employed in the detection of explosive nitroaromatics in solution and solid phases. Also, TPE-Lac was found suitable as an imaging agent and could easily percolate into live H520 cells giving bright fluorescence from the intra-cellular region. Easy and cost-effective synthesis, fast response and low LODs are some of the advantages of this AIEgen over available molecular probes for the same purpose.

Benzoindoxazine derivatives containing carbazole for detection of CN- and its application in plant seed extracts and cell imaging

Cyanide (CN^-) is a highly toxic compound that exists in many substances and is harmful to the environment and human health. Therefore, it is of great significance to develop excellent CN^- ion probes, especially solvent-induced on-off fluorescent probes. Based on the condensation reaction of indolo[2,1-b][1,3]oxazine molecules with aldehydes, probes (E)-13a-(2-(9-ethyl-9H-carbazol-3-yl)vinyl)-14,14-dimethyl-10-nitro-13a,14-dihydro-8H-benzo[e]benzo[5,6][1,3]oxazino[3,2-a]indole (NCO) and (E)-13a-(2-(9-benzyl-9H-carbazol-3-yl)vinyl)-14,14-dimethyl-10-nitro-13a,14-dihydro-8H-benzo[e]benzo[5,6][1,3]oxazino[3,2-a]indole (NBO) were synthesized to detect CN^-. Compared with other cyanogen ion probes, NCO and NBO have special carbazole ring structures and large conjugate systems. When CN^- is added to the probe-detection solution, color changes that are visible to the naked eye can occur. The UV-vis spectrum test using differential spectroscopy shows that the probe (i) has excellent solvent-induced switching characteristics and stability (CH₃OH-H₂O) and (ii) high selectivity, anti-interference ability, and sensitivity for the detection of CN^-. The fluorescence limit of detections (LODs) are 1.05 µM for NCO and 1.34 µM for NBO. The UV LODs are 0.83 µM for NCO and 0.87 µM for NBO. Fluorescence spectroscopy shows that the probe has remarkable fluorescence properties. Fluorescence titration experiments, liver cancer cell (Hep G2) imaging, and cytotoxicity experiments all show that the probes have high biocompatibility, low toxicity, high cell permeability, and high sensitivity for the detection of CN^- in cells. In addition, NCO and NBO have been successfully used for the detection of cyanogenic glycosides in the seeds of ginkgo, crabapple, apple, and cherry. Test strips were fabricated to detect CN^-. After adding CN^-, the color of the test strip changed significantly-from brown to light yellow; thus, the test strips have a high application value in the fields of drug quality control, drug safety testing, and pharmacological research.

Rapid colorimetric discrimination of cyanide ions - mechanistic insights and applications

In this work, we have employed an intramolecular charge transfer-based DMN colorimetric probe for the rapid naked-eye detection of cyanide ions in solution as well as real water samples. The intermolecular interaction between the DMN probe and cyanide ions in solution was investigated using a combination of spectroscopic and computational methods in this study. The DMN probe exhibited a selective colorimetric response for cyanide ions over the other anions exposed. The cyanide sensing mechanism of the probe has been investigated by ¹H NMR titration and density functional theory calculations. The results reveal that the colorimetric response of the DMN probe is due to the Michael adduct formation in the β-conjugated position of the dicyanovinyl group with cyanide, which blocks intramolecular charge transfer transition. Under optimized experimental conditions, the DMN probe showed a linear plot in the concentration range of 0.01-0.25 μM, with a detection limit of 23 nM. Further, a 3D printed portable accessory for the smartphone and an open-source android application is developed to suit the DMN probe for on-site work. In addition, we have developed the microfluidic paper-based analytical device that could selectively detect cyanide ions at very low concentration using a colorimetric DMN probe. In addition, the DMN probe was effectively used to determine the cyanide ion in a variety of water samples.

Two novel tetraphenylethylene-skeleton salamo-type fluorescent probes: specific recognition of cyanide through different response patterns

The possible sensing mechanism of probes TPES1 and TPES2 towards CN− ions.