A novel fluorescent chemosensor based on fluorescent organic nanoparticles (F1) has been synthesized. This tripodal framework shows significant fluorescence quenching for Fe3+ ions from among nineteen metal ions due to the formation of a F1·Fe3+ complex. The lowest detectable concentration of F1 for Fe3+ ions was found to be 1.66 μM. Upon the addition of spermidine (a biologically active amine), the fluorescence intensity of the aqueous solution of complex increases with a detection limit of 3.68 μM indicating that spermidine can displace Fe3+ ions from the F1·Fe3+ complex. Moreover, the recognition of spermidine was selective with no interference from other biogenic amines studied. Thus, F1·Fe3+ acts as a potential sensor for spermidine through a cation displacement assay in aqueous media.
Chopra, S., Singh, J., Kaur, H., Singh, H., Singh, N., & Kaur, N. (2015). Selective chemosensing of spermidine based on fluorescent organic nanoparticles in aqueous media via a Fe 3+ displacement assay. New Journal of Chemistry, 2015, 39(5), 3507-3512.