A Blue-Emitting Ionic Liquid-Based Nano-Optode for Ultra-Sensitive Detection of Dextran Sulfate

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) can cause adverse health effects, necessitating rapid detection.
• Current analytical methods for DSS are limited, hindering timely diagnosis and treatment.
• Accurate DSS quantification is crucial for clinical decisions and environmental safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a sensitive and selective fluorescent sensor for dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) detection.
• To create a novel fluorescent material for on-site and rapid DSS analysis.
• To establish a smartphone-based detection method for DSS in various samples.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis and characterization of a fluorescent ionic liquid, trihexyltetradecylphosphonium 2-(naphthalen-1-yl)-1H-phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazolate (MTNP), and its low-dimensional form (nMTNP).
• Utilized spectroscopic and microscopic techniques for material characterization.
• Developed a sensing platform using nMTNP for fluorescence-based DSS detection in aqueous and paper-strip formats, including smartphone integration.

Main Results:

• The synthesized nMTNP exhibited intense cyan fluorescence, suitable for sensitive DSS detection.
• Achieved a low limit of detection (LOD) of 7.30 ng/mL for DSS.
• Demonstrated selective and sensitive DSS detection in real water samples.
• Successfully developed a smartphone-based system for on-spot DSS detection.

Conclusions:

• The developed nMTNP-based sensor provides a fast, accurate, and highly sensitive method for DSS detection.
• The sensor shows significant potential for environmental monitoring and clinical diagnostic applications.
• The smartphone integration enables convenient and accessible on-site DSS analysis.