High Fluorescence Quantum Research Articles

Quantum dots as a fluorescent labeling tool for live-cell imaging of Leptospira.

Leptospirosis is a global public health problem caused by Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria belonging to the genus Leptospira. The disease is transmitted through the urine of infected animals, which contaminates water and soil, leading to the infection of other animals and humans. Currently, several approaches exist to detect these bacteria; however, a new sensitive method for the live-cell imaging of Leptospira is required. In this study, we report the green synthesis of cadmium telluride quantum dots (CdTe QDs) which are unique fluorescent nanocrystals with a high fluorescence quantum yield capable of modifying cell surfaces and are biocompatible with cells. The fabrication of QDs with concanavalin A (ConA), a carbohydrate-binding lectin and known biological probe for Gram-negative bacteria, produced ConA-QDs which can effectively bind on Leptospira and exhibit strong fluorescence under simple fluorescence microscopy, allowing the live-cell imaging of the bacteria. Overall, we performed the simple synthesis of ConA-QDs and demonstrated their potential use as versatile fluorescent probes for the live-cell imaging of Leptospira. This technique could be further applied to track leptospiral cells and study the infection mechanism, contributing to a more thorough understanding of leptospirosis and how to control it in the future.

Smart design of highly luminescent octupolar mesogenic tetra styryl-alkynyl bipyrimidine-based chromophores presenting non-linear optical properties

The research investigations reported in this paper focuses on the influence of rational design on the photophysical properties of new all-organic multifunctional chromophores. Nonlinear optical (NLO) behavior, optical properties and mesogenicity of several new π-conjugated octupolar chromophores, presenting alkoxy styryl-alkynyl donor groups carrying aliphatic achiral and chiral chains in the 3,4/3,5/2,4 position, connected to electron-accepting 2,2-bipyrimidine cores are investigated by various techniques (light-transmission measurements, polarized-light optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry measurements, two-photon excited fluorescence and Hyper Rayleigh Scattering). The mesogenic properties were investigated depending on the position of the alkoxy chain and the 3,4 derivatives were found to exhibit liquid-crystal properties with the formation columnar phases over large temperature ranges which were confirmed by small-angle X-ray scattering analysis. All the molecules exhibit exceptional high fluorescence quantum yields values around 80 % and excellent nonlinear optical properties.

“Crossbreeding” NIR‐II flavchromene for PSMA‐positive prostate cancer detection and image‐guided surgery

AbstractProstate‐specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is known to be overexpressed in prostate cancer (PCa). The development of precise and rapid imaging technologies to monitor PSMA is crucial for early diagnosis and therapy. Fluorescence imaging in the second near‐infrared window (NIR‐II) has emerged as a powerful tool for real‐time tracking and in vivo visualization, offering high sensitivity and resolution. However, there is a lack of stable, bright and easy‐to‐implement NIR‐II fluorescent probes for PSMA targeting. Herein, we presented a PSMA‐targeting NIR‐II fluorescent probe FC‐PSMA based on π‐conjugated crossbreeding dyed strategy that affords high stability, large extinction coefficient, and good brightness. As demonstrated, FC‐PSMA displayed a high fluorescence quantum yield in fetal bovine serum (FBS). Following intravenous injection of FC‐PSMA, the tumor‐to‐normal ratio of fluorescence intensity steadily increased over time, reaching a peak at 48 h (tumor‐to‐leg ratio = 12.16 ± 0.90). This advancement enables precise identification of PC through NIR‐II fluorescence imaging, facilitating high‐performance guidance for prostate cancer resection surgery.

Structural Fine-Tuning to Achieve Highly Fluorescent Organic and Water-Soluble Thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole Chromophores.

Fluorescent molecular systems are important for various applications such as sensing of analytes, probes for biologically relevant processes and as optoelectronic materials. Achieving high fluorescence quantum yield across the spectrum of solvent polarity and in solid-state is challenging in molecular materials. Herein, we present a strategy to achieve strongly fluorescent molecular materials based on weak intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) in a family of unsymmetrical donor-thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole-acceptor systems (both neutral and cationic). Detailed photophysical studies reveal that the delicate balance between the donor and acceptor result in high solution-state fluorescence quantum yield (>80 %) in both polar protic and apolar solvents. Quantum chemical computations uncover a hitherto unappreciated insight that the extent of ICT is aptly represented by the change in Mulliken charges between the ground and excited state for different fragments rather than the classical approach of monitoring the change in dipole moment for the entire molecule. This insight rationalizes the observed photophysical properties and can have implications in the design of tuneable donor-π-acceptor systems.

Novel triphenylamine-pyrene-based AIEgens: Specific detection and imaging of H2O2 in aqueous solution and cells

H2O2 plays a key regulatory role as a bioendogenous reactive oxygen species in cells and organisms. However, excessive production or accumulation of H2O2 during mitochondrial oxidative stress may lead to oxidative damage of cellular proteins and trigger rheumatic diseases, cancers, and a variety of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. In addition, H2O2 is a very useful chemical widely employed in the textile and chemical industries, and its excessive emission not only pollutes the environment but also jeopardizes human health. Therefore, the sensitive and specific detection and removal of H2O2 is important for early diagnosis of diseases, treatment prognosis and environmental pollution monitoring. We have designed two novel triphenylamine-based AIEgens MOTPP and MOTPP-B, which each have a high solid-state fluorescence quantum yield and excellent aggregation-induced emission properties. MOTPP-B has high selectivity and anti-interference ability toward H2O2, a wide pH tolerance range, a sensing process that is complete in under 40 min, and a low detection limit of 120.77 nM. It has been successfully applied for the detection of low concentrations of H2O2 in the environment and to dual-channel imaging of low concentrations of exogenous H2O2 in living cells.

Facile green synthesis of dual stabilized near-infrared CuInSe/ZnS quantum dots as fluorescent probes for cancer-bacteria imaging

Imaging is a critical step in diagnosis and therapy; thus, developing a non-carcinogenic near-infrared (NIR) emitting probe for guided therapy remains a priority for effective bacteria and cancer treatment. Herein, we report the effect of dual stabilization in producing NIR fluorescent CuInSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) and their use as imaging probes in cancer-bacteria therapy. The as-synthesised NIR QDs were stabilized using different combinations of hydrophilic dual capping agents, MPA-Gelatine, TGA-Gelatine, MPA-Citrate and TGA-Citrate. The optical characteristics of the prepared dual-stabilized CuInSe/ZnS QDs indicate that the material has high stability and fluorescence quantum yield. The dual stabilization resulted in varied emission positions as well as fluorescence intensity for the as-synthesized QDs. The cytotoxicity evaluation showed that cells treated with dual stabilised CuInSe/ZnS QDs displayed good cell viability against malignant fibrous histiocytoma-like (KM-Luc/GFP) cells, mouse colon carcinoma (C26) cells and mouse mammary carcinoma (FM3A-Luc) cells. It also showed high affinity to prostate and human adenocarcinoma cells with no indication of QDs uptake by normal prostate cells. The biofilm analysis showed that the QDs uptake was elevated in Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive bacteria) than in Escherichia coli (Gram-negative bacteria). The dual stabilized QDs remain a promising study as future fluorescence probes for early diagnosis and guided cancer therapy.

Click generated photochromic naphthalenediimide-dithienylethene diad: Application in deciphering secret codes

Photochromic molecules with efficient fluorescence switching capability remain a core research interest among the scientific community for the application in security technologies and anti-counterfeiting measures. A dithienylethene-naphthalene diimide diad was designed and synthesized using Cu(I) catalysed click reaction between a fluorescent core substituted naphthalene diimide (cNDI) and photochromic dithienylethene (DTE) molecule, which demonstrated excellent photocyclization (ksolution = 0.0359 s−1, ksolid = 0.0122 s−1) and photocycloreversion (ksolution = 0.01737 s−1, ksolid = 0.00456 s−1) dynamics with high fluorescence quantum yield (5o ΦF = 0.39, PSS ΦF = 0.05). The fluorescence property of the molecule was switched ‘on-off’ by UV and visible light irradiation respectively via Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) mechanism in solution state as well as in solid state, which was further corroborated with DFT studies. In view of efficient fluorescence switching behaviour and high fatigue resistance properties (25 cycles), the molecule was successfully applied in secret code encryption-decryption purposes using barcode demonstrating real-life applicability of the molecule in security technologies.

Carbon quantum dots with ultra-high quantum yield for versatile turn-on sensor of gluten and cyanide Ions

In this work, we reported the synthesis of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) with high fluorescent quantum yield (90.7 %). These nanoparticles were applied in a turn-off/turn-on sensor able to detect cyanide ions. In this sensing strategy, Fe3+ ions were added to the aqueous suspension of CQDs to quench the fluorescence of the system, which was recovered from the presence of cyanide ions. Furthermore, a sensor array was developed using the LDA chemometric tool, to classify different species present in cookie formulations, including gluten. The turn-off/turn-on sensor proved to be sensitive and effective for detecting cyanide ions, with a detection limit of 3.77 ppm. This high sensibility and selectivity allowed quantifying the analyte in a real sample of tap water.

Cyclic Azahelicene Dimers Showing Bright Circularly Polarized Luminescence and Selective Fluoride Recognition.

Although helicenes are promising molecules, the synthetic difficulty and tediousness have often been problems, and only small amounts of optically pure helicenes have been obtained by using chiral HPLC in most cases. Herein, aza[7]helicenes or closed-aza[7]helicenes with (1R)-menthyl substituents were selectively synthesized via the intramolecular Scholl reaction, and the diastereomeric pairs were separated by silica gel column chromatography. The optically pure helicenes were further transformed into the corresponding cyclic dimers, and the chiroptical properties were investigated. The rigid π-frameworks of the dimers led to the high molar extinction coefficients and fluorescence quantum yields, while the twisted helicene moieties induced clear Cotton effects and CPL in the visible region, and the high CPL brightness (BCPL) was achieved. Furthermore, the cyclic dimers were found to have the macrocyclic cavity with the two NH groups suitable for the selective binding of a fluoride anion, which induced significantly redshifted fluorescence and CPL in the red region.

Cyclic Azahelicene Dimers Showing Bright Circularly Polarized Luminescence and Selective Fluoride Recognition

AbstractAlthough helicenes are promising molecules, the synthetic difficulty and tediousness have often been problems, and only small amounts of optically pure helicenes have been obtained by using chiral HPLC in most cases. Herein, aza[7]helicenes or closed‐aza[7]helicenes with (1R)‐menthyl substituents were selectively synthesized via the intramolecular Scholl reaction, and the diastereomeric pairs were separated by silica gel column chromatography. The optically pure helicenes were further transformed into the corresponding cyclic dimers, and the chiroptical properties were investigated. The rigid π‐frameworks of the dimers led to the high molar extinction coefficients and fluorescence quantum yields, while the twisted helicene moieties induced clear Cotton effects and CPL in the visible region, and the high CPL brightness (BCPL) was achieved. Furthermore, the cyclic dimers were found to have the macrocyclic cavity with the two NH groups suitable for the selective binding of a fluoride anion, which induced significantly redshifted fluorescence and CPL in the red region.

Responsive Organic Fluorescent Aggregates Based on Ion‐π Interactions Away from Fluorescent Conjugated Groups

AbstractResponsive organic luminescent aggregates have a wide range of application fields, but currently there is still a lack of reasonable molecular design strategies. Introducing ion‐π interactions into molecules can effectively alter their luminescent properties. However, current research typically focuses on ion localization at luminescent conjugated groups with the strong interaction forces. In this work, we introduce the flexible alkoxy chain spacers between fluorescent conjugated groups and ion‐π interaction sites, and then adjust the fluorescence performance of the molecule by changing the strength of ion‐π interactions. Bromine ion‐based molecules with strong ion‐π interactions exhibit high and stable fluorescence quantum yields in crystals and amorphous powders under the external stimuli. Hexafluorophosphate ion‐based molecules with weak ion‐π interactions have the high fluorescence quantum yield in crystals and very low fluorescence quantum yield in amorphous powders, showing variable fluorescence intensities under external stimuli. This demonstrates a new class of responsive organic luminescent solid‐state materials.

Responsive Organic Fluorescent Aggregates Based on Ion-π Interactions Away from Fluorescent Conjugated Groups.

Responsive organic luminescent aggregates have a wide range of application fields, but currently there is still a lack of reasonable molecular design strategies. Introducing ion-π interactions into molecules can effectively alter their luminescent properties. However, current research typically focuses on ion localization at luminescent conjugated groups with the strong interaction forces. In this work, we introduce the flexible alkoxy chain spacers between fluorescent conjugated groups and ion-π interaction sites, and then adjust the fluorescence performance of the molecule by changing the strength of ion-π interactions. Bromine ion-based molecules with strong ion-π interactions exhibit high and stable fluorescence quantum yields in crystals and amorphous powders under the external stimuli. Hexafluorophosphate ion-based molecules with weak ion-π interactions have the high fluorescence quantum yield in crystals and very low fluorescence quantum yield in amorphous powders, showing variable fluorescence intensities under external stimuli. This demonstrates a new class of responsive organic luminescent solid-state materials.

Solvent effects on the ESIPT emission of salicylaldehyde Schiff base derivative: A theoretical reconsideration

Salicylaldehyde Schiff base derivatives have potential applications in bioimaging, chemical sensors and organic luminescence materials because of their high fluorescence quantum yield with the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process. Recently, Shu et al. studied the luminescent mechanism of the Et2N-substituted salicylaldehyde Schiff base compound (DDHAC) in solvents [Dyes and Pigments 195 (2021) 109708]. It showed double-peaked bands in an n-hexane solvent but a single-peaked band in an acetonitrile solvent. They suggested that the open-enol in the acetonitrile solvent was the dominant species. They considered that open-enol fluorescence and ESIPT fluorescence constituted a dual fluorescent phenomenon in the n-hexane solvent. However, because acetonitrile is a non-protonic solvent, DDHAC molecules in acetonitrile mainly existed as the lower-energy hydrogen-bonded enol form rather than the open-enol form alone. In addition, the open-enol did not undergo the ESIPT process in n-hexane. Therefore, the luminescence mechanism of the DDHAC molecules in n-hexane and acetonitrile solvents needs to be reconsidered. In this study, we investigated the DDHAC molecules in n-hexane and acetonitrile solvents using the density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory. The potential energy surfaces and optimisation of structures elucidated that the DDHAC molecules in n-hexane and acetonitrile solvents underwent the ESIPT process. The calculated fluorescence peaks demonstrated that the single-peaked broad emission band in the acetonitrile solvent was formed by the combination of the hydrogen-bonded enol* and keto* forms rather than open-enol*. Moreover, the dual fluorescence peaks in the n-hexane solvent were reattributed to the open-enol* form and hydrogen-bonded enol* form. The lack of keto* fluorescence in the n-hexane solvent was attributed to diminished charge coupling in comparison to the enol* form. Our results revise the mechanism of the DDHAC molecules in n-hexane and acetonitrile solvents, providing guidance for designing efficient organic fluorescence probes.

Fluorescent octahydrophenazines as novel inhibitors against herpes simplex viruses

A new series of racemic fluorescent octahydrophenazines (rac-PZ1–11) have been designed and synthesized via the efficient nucleophilic aromatic substitution (SNAr) of tetrafluorobenzenedinitriles (1a–c) and racemic cyclohexane-1,2-diamines (rac-2a and b). The bioactivities of these racemic rac-PZs (20 μM) against herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) were evaluated by the relative cell viability of Vero cells infected with HSV-1. It was found that rac-PZ3 shows much higher anti-HSV-1 activity than others, with EC50 = 9.2 ± 1.4 μM. Further investigation into the anti-HSV activities of rac-PZ3 and its enantiomers RR- and SS-PZ3 indicates that rac-PZ3 can also efficiently inhibit HSV-2 and even ACV-resistant HSV-2 (EC50 = 11.0 ± 2.3 and 14.9 ± 2.8 μM, respectively), SS-PZ3 has better activities against HSV-1, HSV-2 and ACV-resistant HSV-2 (EC50 = 4.1 ± 1.1, 5.8 ± 1.0 and 7.9 ± 1.2 μM, respectively), but RR-PZ3 has almost no antiviral activities. The primary mechanism study indicates that rac-PZ3 efficiently reverses the HSV-1/2-induced cytopathic effect and suppresses the expression of viral mRNA and proteins. In addition, rac-, RR- and SS-PZ3 possess excellent fluorescence properties with almost the same emission wavelength and high fluorescence quantum yields (ΦF = 90.3–92.3 % in cyclohexane solutions and 54.4–57.3 % in solids) and can target endoplasmic reticulum and cell membrane. The efficient anti-HSV bioactivities and excellent fluorescence of PZ3 prove its potential applications in antiviral therapy and biological imaging.

Extended π-conjugated systems by external ligand-assisted C−H olefination of heterocycles: Facile access to single-molecular white-light-emitting and NIR fluorescence materials

The design and synthesis of a novel π-conjugated fluorescent framework by external ligand-assisted C−H olefination of heterocycles with excellent regioselectivity and broad substrate scope are reported herein. These novel fluorescent materials could present full-color-tunable emissions with large Stokes shifts. Furthermore, the protocol provides an opportunity to rapidly screen novel organic single-molecule white-light materials with high fluorescence quantum yields. The robust organic and low-cost white light-emitting diodes could rapidly be fabricated using the white-light-emitting material. Experimental data and theoretical calculations indicate that in the white-light dual emission the relatively short wavelength from high-lying singlet state emission and the relatively long wavelength from low-lying singlet state emission. The anti-Kasha dual-emission systems will provide a foundation for the development and application of organic single-molecule white light materials, effectively promoting the development and innovation of luminescent materials. In addition, this method demonstrated its potential application in the synthesis of new near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence materials with large Stokes shifts based on the olefination of heterocycles.

Excited state dynamics of Rhodamine B and its excitonically coupled dimer: A computational and experimental approach

Rhodamine B (RhB) is widely used for its high fluorescent quantum yield and strong absorption in the visible range of the spectrum; however, its facile aggregation in aqueous solutions dramatically affects its photophysical properties. Surprisingly, the excited state dynamics of rhodamines are not fully understood despite the extensive literature around them. Here, we present a complete picture of the photophysics of RhB and the most likely dimer formed in aqueous solution. We deconvolved the excited state dynamics of RhB and its non-covalent dimer using a combination of steady-state (SS) and time-resolved spectroscopic methods supported by density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT). In particular, we have determined the dimerization equilibria constant in sodium perchlorate solutions and measured the dimer’s photo-induced charge separation and charge-recombination events. Additionally, we studied 12 DFT exchange–correlation functionals (XCF), and determined which are appropriate and which are not appropriate for studying and interpreting the excited state dynamics observed through femtosecond transient absorption (fsTA).

Synergistic Modulation of Excited State Ingredients and Chiroptical Activity for High‐Performance Pure‐Green Circularly Polarized Electroluminescence

AbstractThe integration of chiral elements within a multiple resonance (MR) motif affords a prospective avenue to construct satisfying emitters tailored for state‐of‐the‐art circularly polarized organic light–emitting diodes (CP‐OLEDs). However, the concurrently realizing of both high luminescence efficiency and favorable dissymmetry factors (gPL) still remains a formidable challenge, particularly when aligning with the requirement of high color purity. Herein, a dual‐pronged approach is proposed to reconcile such trade‐offs by directly fusing a secondary chiral donor onto the MR scaffold, thereby facilitating a hybrid short/long‐range charge‐transfer with fine‐tuned compositions. Theoretical calculations unveil the pronounced impact of the chiral donor on meticulously refining the characteristics of excited states, therefore yielding a considerable gPL of 3.3 × 10−3, along with a high fluorescence quantum yield of 0.97, and a rapid reverse intersystem crossing rate of 3.06 × 105 s−1 in one embodiment. Leveraging these merits, electroluminescence devices incorporating them as chiral dopants exhibit exceptional performance, showcasing a peak external quantum efficiency of 36.6% and remarkable Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage coordinates of (0.19, 0.71), which represent one of the most notable achievements among pure‐green CP‐OLEDs.

Emission behaviors from ZnO microwire pumped CsPbBr3 perovskite microwire.

Perovskite semiconductor materials have attracted significant attention in the fields of photovoltaics and luminescence due to their excellent photoelectric properties, such as high carrier mobility, high absorption coefficient, and high fluorescence quantum yield. In particular, low-dimensional metal-halide perovskite microcrystalline materials have been reported to exhibit low-dimensional lasing phenomena and laser devices due to their high gain and widely tunable bandgap. In this Letter, one-dimensional (1-D) ZnO microwires with their ultraviolet lasing emissions are utilized as an excitation source to pump CsPbBr3 microwire on hybrid ZnO-CsPbBr3 microscale structures. At higher excitation, the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) behaviors from CsPbBr3 microwire are realized with ultralow threshold by indirect pumping from the ZnO lasing emission for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. In comparison, the ASE behaviors from the CsPbBr3 microwire directly pumped by Nd:YAG Q-switched laser and continuous wave laser are also performed at room temperature. There are also no multimode lasing behaviors observed. The paper provides a new method to achieve a low threshold on-chip microlaser by a high-quality perovskite micro-nano structure.

Bright luminescent Zn2GeO4:Mn NP/MXene hydrogel-based ECL biosensor for glioblastoma diagnosis

In this work, miRNA-10b in the glioblastoma (GBM) tumor tissues has been detected by a novel electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensor. Firstly, a new kind of bright luminescent Zn2GeO4:Mn NPs were prepared as ECL nanoprobe, which possessed high fluorescence quantum yield and ECL quantum efficiency. Secondly, Ti3C2 MXene hydrogel (MXG) have been developed as the sensing interface. The MXG retained the inherent biocompatibility and mechanical features of hydrogel. Furthermore, the uniform distribution of metallic Ti3C2 MXene in the hydrogel microstructure provided the good conductivity and multiple binding sites for biomolecules. MXene also can promote the separation of the electrons and holes to accelerate the electron-transfer rate and improve ECL efficiency. Due to these synergistic effects, the screen printed electrode was successfully modified with MXG as sensing platform to enhance the ECL intensity of Zn2GeO4:Mn NP, which greatly improved the detection efficiency and facilitated the high-throughput analysis. Finally, the toehold mediated strand displacement (TMSD) strategy was employed with then biosensor to detect miRNA-10b with the range of 10 fM to 1 nM. The limit of detection was 5 fM. This ECL biosensor has been used to analyze miRNA-10b expression in GBM tumor tissues, which possessed the great potential value for clinical diagnosis.

A facile green synthesis of photoluminescent carbon dots using Pumpkin seeds for ultra-sensitive Cu2+ and Fe3+ ions detection in living cells

A facile and efficient green synthesis of photoluminescent carbon dots (CDs) was achieved using pumpkin seeds (PS) through the hydrothermal-carbonization method. Pumpkin seeds, well-known for their nutrient-rich composition, offer potential health benefits, including heightened fertility, enhanced heart health, and improved blood sugar regulation. The as-synthesized PS-CDs characterization through UV–vis, photoluminescence (PL), FTIR, XRD, and HR(TEM) analysis. The PL PS-CDs exhibited an excitation-dependent behavior, with the peak shifting from 410 nm to 475 nm under excitation wavelengths ranging from 270 nm to 400 nm. Notably, the synthesized PS-CDs displayed outstanding advantages, such as a high fluorescent quantum yield of 12.7 % with bright blue emissions when exposed to UV light at 365 nm. High-resolution TEM images revealed an average size of approximately 4.0 ± 0.2 nm for the synthesized PS-CDs, ranging from 2 to 7 nm with interlayer distance of 0.21 nm. PL spectra of PS-CDs solution, with an excitation wavelength of 338 nm and emission wavelength of 420 nm, were examined in the presence of various metal ions (50 μM). The fluorescence lifetime of the PS-CDs showed an exponential curve, with an average lifetime (τav) of 8.47 ns for Cu2+and 3.61 ns for Fe3+ ions, respectively, which is strongly indicates that quenching occurs through a static mechanism. The PS-CDs exhibited high sensitivity and selectivity towards Cu2+ and Fe3+ ions, with a linear relationship observed up to a concentration of 50 μM and detection limits of 0.43 and 0.11 μM (S/N = 3), respectively. Moreover, the low-toxicity and strongly fluorescent PS-CDs were successfully applied for cell imaging. The practical utility of the developed sensor was determined through the analysis of Cu2+ and Fe3+ ions in spiked water samples, highlighting its considerable analytical and bioanalytical applications.