A review of organic small-molecule fluorescent probes for the gallium(III) ion

Gallium metal and gallium compounds play significant roles in industry and medicine; however, their pollution and residue can pose potential risks to plants, animals and human health. Moreover, accurately detecting Ga³⁺ during tumor treatment holds great clinical significance. Therefore, it is crucial to reliably determine the content of Ga³⁺ in environmental and biological samples. Organic small-molecule fluorescent probe technology offers high selectivity and sensitivity, rapid detection speed, and non-destructive in situ bioimaging capabilities, making it an ideal approach for Ga³⁺ detection. The numerous reported probes for detecting Ga³⁺ highlight the immense application potential of fluorescent probes in this field. However, due to limited development of Ga³⁺-specific fluorescent probes thus far, several challenges associated with their design and development remain. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the performance achieved by Ga³⁺ fluorescent probes, while addressing existing issues and proposing corresponding solutions. Additionally, future directions for developing highly efficient Ga³⁺ fluorescent probes are outlined as valuable guidance.