Yan Zhen, Zhang Rongrong, Qiao Min, Ma Miao, Liu Taihong, Ding Liping, Fang Yu
Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, People's Republic of China.
School of Computer Science, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710119, People's Republic of China.
Anal Chem. 2024 Aug 17. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.4c01287.
Abnormal concentration levels of trivalent metal ions (M) might hinder their natural biological activities in physiological processes and cause severe health hazards. Herein, a dual-chromophore probe (RhB-TPE) composed of rhodamine and tetraphenylethene (TPE) units was synthesized and explored for discriminating M ions. It exhibited special aggregation and AIE properties in aqueous media. Its ensemble with anionic surfactant SDBS assemblies (RhB-TPE/SDBS) could be utilized as fluorescent sensors for selective and sensitive detection of M ions such as Fe, Al, and Cr by illustrating quenched TPE emission and switched-on rhodamine emission. Moreover, the use of SDBS assemblies at two concentrations could provide a single-probe-based sensor array and realize four-signal pattern recognition of different concentrations of the three M ions and identify M mixtures or unknown samples. The cross-reactive fluorescence variation was attributed to the M influence on the FRET process from TPE to open-ring form rhodamine in the two ensemble sensors. With the coexistence of Al, the optimized RhB-TPE/SDBS ensemble sensor array was successfully applied to differentiate commercially available brand mineral water and purified water, as well as tap water. The present work provides a novel strategy to generate a single-probe-based sensor array and realizes fingerprint recognition of three trivalent metal ions and efficient discrimination of different types of water. The modulation FRET process of a dual chromophore in different surfactant ensembles inspires the future construction of novel and effective sensing platforms.
三价金属离子（M）的异常浓度水平可能会阻碍其在生理过程中的天然生物活性，并导致严重的健康危害。在此，合成了一种由罗丹明和四苯乙烯（TPE）单元组成的双发色团探针（RhB-TPE），并用于鉴别M离子。它在水性介质中表现出特殊的聚集和聚集诱导发光（AIE）特性。其与阴离子表面活性剂十二烷基苯磺酸钠（SDBS）组装体的聚集体（RhB-TPE/SDBS）可作为荧光传感器，通过说明TPE发射猝灭和罗丹明发射开启，对铁、铝和铬等M离子进行选择性和灵敏检测。此外，使用两种浓度的SDBS组装体可以提供基于单探针的传感器阵列，并实现对三种M离子不同浓度的四信号模式识别，以及识别M混合物或未知样品。交叉反应荧光变化归因于M对两种聚集体传感器中从TPE到开环形式罗丹明的荧光共振能量转移（FRET）过程的影响。在铝共存的情况下，优化后的RhB-TPE/SDBS聚集体传感器阵列成功应用于区分市售品牌矿泉水、纯净水以及自来水。本工作提供了一种生成基于单探针的传感器阵列的新策略，实现了三种三价金属离子的指纹识别以及不同类型水的有效鉴别。双发色团在不同表面活性剂聚集体中的调制FRET过程为新型有效传感平台的未来构建提供了灵感。
