Visualized electrochemiluminescence iodine sensor based on polymer dots with Co-reactive group for real-time monitoring system

Trace iodine (I₂) radioisotopes are commonly regarded as an indicator in nuclear security early warnings. Herein, we develop a visualized I₂ real-time monitoring system using electrochemiluminescence (ECL) imaging technology for the first time. In detail, the polymers based on poly [(9,9-dioctylfluorene-alkenyl-2,7-diyl)-alt-co-(1,4-benzo-{2,1',3}-thiadiazole)] are synthesized for iodine detection. An ultra-low limit of detection (0.01 ppt) to iodine can be achieved by adding the modification ratio of tertiary amine onto PFBT as a co-reactive group, which is the lowest detection limit in known iodine vapor sensors. This result can be attributed to the co-reactive group poisoning response mechanism. Considering to the strong ECL behavior of this polymer dots, P-3 Pdots with ultra-low detection limit for iodine is combined with ECL imaging technology to realize the visualized rapid I₂ vapor response with high selectivity. ECL imaging component based on ITO electrode can make iodine monitoring system more convenient and suitable for real-time detection in early warning of nuclear emergency. The detection result cannot be affected by vapor of organic compounds, humidity and temperature, indicating a good selectivity to iodine. This work provides a strategy for nuclear emergency early warning, showing its significance in environmental and nuclear security fields.

The Role of Stabilizing Copolymer in Determining the Physicochemical Properties of Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles and Their Nanomedical Applications

Conjugated polymer nanoparticles (CPNs) are a promising class of nanomaterials for biomedical applications, such as bioimaging, gene and drug delivery/release, photodynamic therapy (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT), and environmental sensing. Over the past decade, many reports have been published detailing their synthesis and their various potential applications, including some very comprehensive reviews of these topics. In contrast, there is a distinct lack of overview of the role the stabilizing copolymer shells have on the properties of CPNs. This review attempts to correct this oversight by scrutinizing reports detailing the synthesis and application of CPNs stabilized with some commonly-used copolymers, namely F127 (Pluronic poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate), PSMA (poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride)), PLGA (poly(D, L-lactide-co-glycolide)) and PEG (polyethylene glycol) derivatives. The analysis of the reported physicochemical properties and biological applications of these CPNs provides insights into the advantages of each group of copolymers for specific applications and offers a set of guidance criteria for the selection of an appropriate copolymer when designing CPNs-based probes. Finally, the challenges and outlooks in the field are highlighted.