Polydiacetylene rhodaminebased colorimetric chemosensor for Au3+ detection

A novel platform of a polydiacetylene combined with rhodamine B (PDA-Rho) colorimetric chemosensor array was prepared from a diacetylene monomer and rhodamine B derivative. Rhodamine B derivative as the ion-recognition element was embedded in the polydiacetylene matrix. To fabricate chemosensor, diacetylene monomer connected rhodamine B derivatives (DA-Rho) was coated onto a filter paper surface via drop-casting technique and transformed to polydiacetylene by polymerisation through ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. From the result, PDA-Rhoen exhibited high sensitivity and selectivity for Au3+ and could be monitored directly by naked eyes providing a fast, portable and easy-to-use as a molecular device in the real system. The DFT calculation results showed a stable complex between PDA-Rho and Au3+. We believe that, this method offers a sensitive and accurate process for Au3+ ion detection in real environmental and biological applications.

An ultra-low detection limit gold(III) probe based on rhodamine-covalent hydrogel sensor

A highly sensitive and selective optical chemosensor (Arg-Rhoen) for determination of Au³⁺ was prepared by covalent immobilization of rhodamine ethylenediamine on agarose gel. Spectrophotometric studies of complex formation, chemical structures and purity of the hydrogel sensor were carried out using TGA, NMR, TEM, and IR. The complexation study results indicated that this probe can selectively detect Au³⁺ via a metal ion chelation-induced ring-opening reaction, and then caused a remarkable colour change from colourless to pink and a strong fluorescence enhancement. Theoretical DFT calculation results suggested that the hydrogel sensor Arg-Rhoen formed stable complexes with Au³⁺ through a large number of cation-dipole interactions. Reusability has been established by repeatedly dipping and rinsing the hydrogel in aqueous Au³⁺ and EDTA in basic solutions. We believe that this approach may provide an easily measurable and inherently sensitive method for Au³⁺ detection in environmental and biological applications.

Gold sensing with rhodamine immobilized hydrogel-based colorimetric sensor

A highly sensitive and selective optical membrane for determination of Au³⁺ was synthesized by immobilization of a rhodamine derivative on agarose hydrogel. The sensing dye was synthesized by solvatochromism of rhodamine B via rhodamine lactone-zwitterion equilibrium. UV-vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) were employed to confirm that the rhodamine-lactone (RhoL) was incorporated into the agarose hydrogel. The results showed that the sensor was highly selective for recognizing Au³⁺ over other metal ions in real systems. In addition, DFT calculation results suggested that the membrane sensor formed stable complexes with Au³⁺ through a large number of cation-dipole and ion-ion interactions. In addition, according to changes in signaling upon adding various Au³⁺ concentration, the limit of detection of Arg-RhoL for Au³⁺ is calculated to be 5 µM. This approach may provide an easily measurable and inherently sensitive method for Au³⁺ ion detection in environmental and biological applications.

The effects of the crosslinking position and degree of conjugation in perylene tetraanhydride bisimide microporous polymers on fluorescence sensing performance

In this study, two fluorescence conjugated microporous polymers based on perylene tetraanhydride bisimide (DP₄A₀ and DP₄A₂) were prepared via Sonogashira–Hagihara cross-coupling polymerization for the efficient detection of o-nitrophenol (o-NP). They were well characterized via FT-IR, solid state ¹³C NMR, elemental analysis, and other material characterization techniques. The experiments proved that both CMPs possess high thermal and chemical stability and a porous nature with Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) specific surface areas of 41.3 and 402.1 m² g⁻¹. Importantly, owing to signal amplification by the conjugated skeleton, DP₄A₀ and DP₄A₂ exhibit extremely high sensitivity to o-NP with K_sv values of 1.83 × 10⁴ and 1.69 × 10⁴ L mol⁻¹ and limits of detection of 5.73 × 10⁻⁹ and 7.36 × 10⁻⁹ mol L⁻¹, respectively. The sensing performance of DP₄A₀ and DP₄A₂ was dependent on the position of crosslinking points and crosslinking density. Finally, super amplified quenching was considered the electron transfer mechanism and hydrogen bond interactions were also present.

In this study, two fluorescence conjugated microporous polymers based on perylene tetraanhydride bisimide (DP₄A₀ and DP₄A₂) were prepared via Sonogashira–Hagihara cross-coupling polymerization for the efficient detection of o-nitrophenol (o-NP).

Fluorescent conjugated microporous polymer based on perylene tetraanhydride bisimide for sensing o-nitrophenol

A novel conjugated microporous polymer based on perylene tetraanhydride bisimide (DP₂A₂) has been synthesized through Sonogashira-Hagihara cross-coupling polymerization of tetrabromo-substituted perylene tetraanhydride bisimide derivative (DPBr₂ABr₂) with 1,4-diethynylbenzene, whose Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) specific surface area is about 378 m² g^-1. The fluorescence quenching behaviors of the DP₂A₂ were investigated. It is found that the DP₂A₂ shows high sensitivity and selectivity to tracing o-nitrophenol (o-NP) in THF with Ks_V constant of 2.00 × 10⁴ L mol^-1. The detection limit (LOD) is 1.50 × 10^-9 mol L^-1. The possible sensing mechanism for the luminescent quenching of DP₂A₂ towards o-NP exciting at 365 nm was considered the donor-acceptor electron transfer mechanism, which is a combined result from both dynamic (collisional) and static quenching. Moreover, the static quenching process is dominant for DP₂A₂.

Magnetic resonance imaging, gadolinium neutron capture therapy, and tumor cell detection using ultrasmall Gd2O3 nanoparticles coated with polyacrylic acid-rhodamine B as a multifunctional tumor theragnostic agent

Monodisperse and ultrasmall gadolinium oxide (Gd₂O₃) nanoparticle colloids (d_avg = 1.5 nm) (nanoparticle colloid = nanoparticle coated with hydrophilic ligand) were synthesized and their performance as a multifunctional tumor theragnostic agent was investigated. The aqueous ultrasmall nanoparticle colloidal suspension was stable and non-toxic owing to hydrophilic polyacrylic acid (PAA) coating that was partly conjugated with rhodamine B (Rho) for an additional functionalization (mole ratio of PAA : Rho = 5 : 1). First, the ultrasmall nanoparticle colloids performed well as a powerful T₁ magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent: they exhibited a very high longitudinal water proton relaxivity (r₁) of 22.6 s⁻¹ mM⁻¹ (r₂/r₁ = 1.3, r₂ = transverse water proton relaxivity), which was ∼6 times higher than those of commercial Gd-chelates, and high positive contrast enhancements in T₁ MR images in a nude mouse after intravenous administration. Second, the ultrasmall nanoparticle colloids were applied to gadolinium neutron capture therapy (GdNCT) in vitro and exhibited a significant U87MG tumor cell death (28.1% net value) after thermal neutron beam irradiation, which was 1.75 times higher than that obtained using commercial Gadovist. Third, the ultrasmall nanoparticle colloids exhibited stronger fluorescent intensities in tumor cells than in normal cells owing to conjugated Rho, proving their pH-sensitive fluorescent tumor cell detection ability. All these results together demonstrate that ultrasmall Gd₂O₃ nanoparticle colloids are the potential multifunctional tumor theragnostic agent.

Ultrasmall Gd₂O₃ nanoparticle colloids coated with PAA and Rho-PAA were synthesized and applied to T₁ MRI, GdNCT and fluorescent tumor cell detection.

Peroxidase-like activity of MoS2 nanoflakes with different modifications and their application for H2O2 and glucose detection

Peroxidase-like activity of MoS₂ NFs was enhanced by cysteine modification which is beneficial to the detection of glucose and H₂O₂ and a new catalytic mechanism was proposed.

Nitrogen and sulfur codoped graphene quantum dots as a new fluorescent probe for Au3+ ions in aqueous media

The N and S codoped GQDs can be used as a promising label free fluorescent probe for the sensitive and selective detection of Au³⁺ in aqueous media, which provides a new application of the functionalized GQDs to the detection of metal ions.

Fluorescence sensors for selective detection of Hg²⁺ ion using a water-soluble poly(vinyl alcohol) bearing rhodamine B moieties

The novel water-soluble poly(vinyl alcohol) with pendant rhodamine B moiety as colorimetric and fluorescene chemosensor for Hg(2+) ions was prepared by grafting poly(vinyl alcohol) using rhodamine B hydrazide and hexamethylenediisocyanate as fluorescent dye and coupling agent, respectively. Because of their good water-solubility, the polymers binding rhodamine B can be used as chemosensors in aqueous media. With the addition of Hg(2+) ions into the aqueous solution, visual color changes and fluorescence enhancements were detected. In addition, we also noticed that other metal ions such as Ag(+), Cd(2+), Co(2+), Cu(2+), K(+), Mg(2+), Ba(2+), Fe(2+), Ni(2+), Pb(2+), Cr(3+), Fe(3+) and Zn(2+) cannot induce obvious changes to the fluorescence spectra of the polymer chemosensors. The combination of water solubility and positive fluorescence response as well as color change are hence particularly promising for the practical utility of the sensors.