A turn-on coordination nanoparticle-based fluorescent probe for phosphate in human serum

Area of Science:

• Nanomaterials Science
• Chemical Sensing
• Biomedical Diagnostics

Background:

• Coordination nanoparticles (CNPs) offer tunable properties for designing luminescent nanoprobes.
• Existing methods for phosphate detection can be limited in range or applicability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel turn-on fluorescent nanoprobe for phosphate (PO4(3-)) detection.
• To demonstrate the utility of CNPs for sensitive and selective chemical sensing.
• To establish a generalizable strategy for designing nanoprobes using coordination networks.

Main Methods:

• Self-assembly of coordination networks using adenine, biphenyl-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid (BDA), and zinc ions.
• Encapsulation of fluorophores (rhodamine B, RB) and quenchers (methylene blue, MB) within CNPs.
• Utilizing a recognition-driven disassembly mechanism triggered by phosphate ions.

Main Results:

• A CNP-based nanoprobe with quenched fluorescence was successfully synthesized.
• Phosphate detection induced the release of RB and MB, triggering a turn-on fluorescence response.
• The probe exhibited a wide response range (0.5-50 μM) and was applied to detect phosphate in human serum samples.

Conclusions:

• A novel turn-on fluorescent probe for phosphate detection based on CNPs was developed.
• The recognition-driven disassembly principle provides a versatile strategy for designing various nanoprobes and nanocarriers.
• This approach holds promise for sensitive detection of analytes in complex biological samples.