Relevant Metal Ions Research Articles

A Deep Dive into Thiourea‐Based Sensors for Cation Sensing

AbstractThioureas are preferred structures in the disciplines of chemosensors, organic, and pharmaceutical field. Thioureas, a class of tuneable organosulfur compounds, and their derivatives are widely used in both biological and nonbiological fields. These compounds, which include sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N) atoms, have nucleophilic characteristics that assist in intra‐ or intermolecular H‐bonding among the molecules or analytes. Hence, the incorporation of the thiourea moiety into a wide spectrum of organic molecules has resulted in very versatile compounds with widespread applications in a variety of domains. Thiourea derivatives have been frequently produced and researched due to their chemosensing capability. Finally, in this work, a detailed comparison and analysis of the detecting capabilities of thiourea‐based cation sensor is performed. The knowledge gained in this work will be extremely useful in future endeavours to create organic sensors based on Fluorescence (Fl) and colorimetry, for the recognition of physiologically relevant metal ions.

Effect of electrophoretic deposition for selective detection of Pb2+ ions using nitrogen and sulphur-doped reduced graphene oxide

Lead is very hazardous, as it is present in environmental samples, and it causes severe health problems affecting neurological, cardiac, genital, and mental illnesses owing to exposure to even a trace amount. The achievement of selective detection of Pb2+ ions is challenging due to interfering relevant metal ions. Hence, in this work, we have synthesized the Nitrogen and Sulphur N and S-doped reduced graphene oxide (NS-rGO) and fabricated it using electrophoretic deposition (EPD) in glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and Bi film deposition (Bi/EPD-NS-rGO/GCE) for selective detection of Pb2+ ions. The synthesized materials were characterized to confirm their functionalities, elemental analysis, and morphology. Further, the electrochemical behaviours were also carried out through Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) and Electrochemical Impedimetric spectroscopy (EIS) studies. The above-modified electrodes were utilized for selective detection of Pb2+ in the presence of Cd2+ ionsusing the differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) method. The electrode modified with NS-rGO using the EPD method, along with a thin film of Bi that was electrodeposited, has better and more selective catalytic activity for sensing Pb2+ ions. The linear working response was found to be in the range of 100–2200 nM with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.180 nM and verified as 144 times lower than the recommended level (26 nM) by World Health Organization (WHO) and United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The developed sensor was further applied to the selective detection of Pb2+ ions in tap water and river water, and it shows good recovery. The Bi/EPD-NS-rGO/GCE will explore a new pathway for the simple and selective detection of Pb2+ ions.

Quinoline-based hydrophilic flavonol fluorescent probe for specific and sensitive detection of Zn2+

It is important to develop fluorescent sensors for the detection and quantification of Zn2+ ions related to life health issues and other problems. The 3-hydroxyflavone derivatives has excellent photophysical properties and stable ability to coordinate with metal ions. In this study, a new fluorescent probe (HQC) toward to the detection of Zn2+ based on 3-hydroxylflavone and 8-hydroxyquinoline was designed and synthesized. In ethanol–water (1:9, v/v) solution, the probe HQC displays highly selective response to Zn2+ with remarkable emission enhancement through its binding of Zn2+. The sensing of Zn2+ was nearly free from interference of other relevant metal ions. The proposed binding modes are also proved by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, IR and HRMS analysis. The detection limit for Zn2+ is calculated to be 4.99 μM. Furthermore, the probe HQC displays good biological compatibility and was employed to detect Zn2+ in zebrafish. The strong fluorescence emission could be observed in the presence of Zn2+ in living cells. These results indicate that the probe HQC possesses good potential application values in the detection of Zn2+ in environmental and biological systems.

Ibuprofen: A multi-purpose active pharmaceutical ingredient as versatile ligand for zinc(II) and copper(II). Solid state and solution studies

Two new, Zn(II) and Cu(II), complexes of the non-steroidal anti inflammatory drug (NSAID) ibuprofen (HIbu) are reported. Results from their solid state investigation are complemented by potentiometric and 1H NMR studies in view of the role that chelation of these biologically relevant metal ions might play in affecting the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) biological properties, but also of the use of metallo-ibuprofen drugs. In the solid state, the ibuprofenate anion (Ibu−) gives rise to 0- and 1-D species, [Zn(Ibu)2(H2O)2] and [Cu(Ibu)2]n, respectively. The [Zn(Ibu)2] species is also present in H2O/EtOH 50 % v/v solution (pKw = 14.41(1)) and starting from pH 4–4.5 coexists in solution with the [Zn(Ibu)]+ one. As for the copper structure, it represents, to the best of our knowledge, the first example of 1-D coordination polymer consisting of copper-ibuprofen dinuclear paddle-wheel units. Interestingly, this crystal phase is the only one obtained irrespective of the different synthetic and crystallization procedures adopted. Potentiometric titrations evidence that copper(II) gives the more stable complexes (also in this case [Cu(Ibu)2] and[Cu(Ibu)]+ coexist in solution) with respect to the zinc ones. Lastly, in light of the increasing interest around the antibacterial activities of NSAIDs and NSAIDs-containing compounds, the antimicrobial effects of ibuprofen, [Zn(Ibu)2(H2O)2] and [Cu(Ibu)2]n were preliminary evaluateted on Bacillus Subtilis, chosen as a model of Gram-positive bacteria.

Metal Ions Can Modulate the Self-Assembly and Activity of Catalytic Peptide Amyloids.

Rational design of peptides has become a powerful tool to produce self-assembled nanostructures with the ability to catalyze different chemical reactions, paving the way to develop minimalistic enzyme-like nanomaterials. Catalytic amyloid-like assemblies have emerged among the most versatile and active, but they often require additional factors for activity. Elucidating how these factors influence the structure and activity is key for the design. Here, we showed that biologically relevant metal ions can guide and modulate the self-assembly of a small peptide into diverse amyloid architectures. The morphology and catalytic activity of the resulting fibrils were tuned by the specific metal ion decorating the surface, whereas X-ray structural analysis of the amyloids showed ion-dependent shape sizes. Molecular dynamics simulations showed that the metals can strongly affect the local conformational space, which can trigger major rearrangements of the fibrils. Our results demonstrate that the conformational landscape of catalytic amyloids is broad and tunable by external factors, which can be critical for future design strategies.

Facile cost-effective green synthesis of carbon dots: selective detection of biologically relevant metal ions and synergetic efficiency for treatment of cancer

A facile cost-effective green synthesis approach has been used to synthesize carbon-dot (CDs) from the Kernel part of the Azadirachta Indica seeds and investigated their fluorescent and metal ions sensing capability and also used for the delivery of drugs. Metallic ions such as Ca2+, K+, Na+, Fe3+, and Zn2+ which are biologically important for many reactions and are selectively detected through the novel CDs. The resultant dot size of CDs (∼4 nm) is useful to eliminate the ‘Achilles heel’ problems, which is associated with the Zn2+ in the body and its detection is a very challenging task. It is found that the sensitivity of CDs for the detection of Zn2+ can be regulated by using different solvents. These CDs can also be used as a sensing probe for the selective detection of Fe3+ at a very low concentration of solution (∼5 μM). The synthesis method of CDs reported here is cost-effective, very fast and it is highly selective towards Fe3+ and Zn2+. Due to the fast response capability of these CDs, logic gate operation is achieved and it provides a new understanding to construct potential next-generation molecular devices for the detection of different biomolecules with high selectivity. Additionally, these CDs are biocompatible against normal healthy cells, capable of loading small biomolecules and drugs due to their porous nature, and exhibited potential impact for breast cancer therapy. It is observed that a significant synergic therapeutic effect of CDs loaded with doxorubicin against breast cancer cells is very promising. Thus, the CDs reported herein in this work have been synthesized through a green synthesis approach and can be used as a molecular probe for the detection of metal ions as well as for drug delivery applications.

Tri-armed Schiff base fluorescent sensor for the rapid recognition of Zn(II): application in live cell imaging, test strips and TLC.

Various metal ions exist in nature and human beings and play limitless vital roles in both the atmosphere and biology. A fundamental and useful aspect is the qualitative and quantitative assessment of Zn(II) at concentration levels as low as parts per billion (ppb). Thus, the design and development of novel fluorescent turn-on receptors have gained significant interest because of their potential for use in live cell imaging to detect biologically relevant metal ions with high selectivity and sensitivity. The present research illustrates the design and synthesis of a novel fluorescent sensor [(1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triyl)tris(hydrazine-2-yl-1-ylidene)tris(methaneylylidene)]tris(2,4-di-tert-butylphenol) (THDBP) for the selective and sensitive probing of Zn(II). The sensor exhibited a fluorescence turn-on mechanism upon treatment with Zn(II) ions at λemi. 503 nm in aq. acetonitrile. The formation of a 1 : 3 complex between THDBP and Zn(II) is confirmed from the Job plot and ESI-MS spectrum. The evaluated limit of detection (LOD) and association constant (Ka) of the sensor THDBP for Zn(II) were found to be 1.03 × 10-10 M and 2.33 × 108 M-1, respectively. Further research demonstrates the practical application of the sensor for the detection of Zn(II) ions in live cells. The sensing ability of the sensor THDBP was also explored through inexpensive test strips and TLC sheets.

–HH and –HAAAH motifs act as fishing nets for biologically relevant metal ions in metallopeptides

Histidine are one of the most common residues involved in transition metal ion binding in the active sites of metalloenzymes. In order to mimic enzymatic metal binding sites, it is crucial to understand the basic coordination modes of histidine residues, distributed at different positions in the peptide sequence. We show that: (i) the separation of two histidines has a large effect on complex stability – a sequence with adjusting histidine residues forms more stable complexes with Zn(II) than the one in which the residues are separated, while the contrary is observed for Cu(II) complexes, in which amide nitrogens participate in metal binding. No pronounced effect is observed for Ni(II) complexes, where the amides participate in binding at higher pH; (ii) non-coordinating amino acid residues (basic, acidic and aromatic ones) have a significant impact on complex stability; charged and aromatic residues may enhance Zn(II) binding, while the contrary is observed for the amide-binding Cu(II); (iii) cysteine containing sequences are much more effective Zn(II) and Ni(II) binding motifs at pH above 8, while histidine containing ligands are more suitable for effective Zn(II) and Ni(II) binding at lower pH.

Carbon Dot-Gold Nanoparticles Ensemble for Specific Visual Iodide Recognition

Iodide has long been recognized as an effective shape-directing agent for facilitating the growth of anisotropic noble metal nanostructures. However, little attention has been paid to the specific interaction between iodide and metal nanoparticles. In this study, we demonstrate the selective recognition of iodide in solution by the carbon-dot-gold nanoparticles (Cdot-AuNPs) ensemble. Irregularly-shaped AuNPs were generated through the reduction of HAuCl4 by citrate ions and stabilized by Cdot at ambient temperature. Upon the addition of iodide, the color of the solution changed from blue to red with the growth of AuNPs to semi-spherical nanoparticles, as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. The selectivity test validated that only iodide could induce this specific visual response, highlighting a novel interaction mechanism between iodide and AuNPs. The recognition of iodide by this Cdot-AuNPs ensemble showed good resistance toward many environmentally relevant metal ions, particularly Ca2+, providing potential for the identification of iodide ions in real samples.

Innovative covalently modified Al‐MOF as a highly selective fluorescent sensor for Al (III) detection in tap water, human serum, and tea samples

Generally, aluminum exposure is not a risk; however, long‐term and high‐intensity exposure can have a negative impact on health. The ligand‐embedded MOF was developed for high sensitivity in the detection and removal of Al (III) ions in aqueous solutions. Novel selective metal–organic framework was synthesized via strong covalent attachment of NH2‐MIL‐53(Al) and 2‐hydroxy naphthaldehyde (2‐HNA) for selective and efficient fluorometric sensing of Al (III) ions. The elemental structure and morphology of the fabricated sensor (2‐HNA = N‐MIL‐53[Al]) were thoroughly evaluated to understand the high selectivity and considerable fluorescence stability in the water. The intensity of the sensor fluorescence increased linearly as the concentration of Al (III) increased from 0.19 to 2.0 ppm with a detection limit of 33.1 ppb (1.23 × 10−6 M) and 5 s of response time at pH 7. The potential mechanism is discussed. The high selectivity of the developed chemosensor was achieved against various competing environmentally relevant metal ions. Furthermore, Al (III) ions were successfully quantified in tap water, wastewater, human serum, and tea samples. The high precision (RSD percent, 0.009–1.76) and excellent accuracy (recovery percent, 99.96–101.56) of the 2‐HNA = N‐MIL‐53 (Al) sensor indicated that it holds great promise for the ultrafast and highly selective determination of Al (III) ions in wastewaters, with high reproducibility and reversibility.

Azomethine functionalized platform for the selective detection of Zr(IV) ion, biological evaluation and potent TLR-4 inhibitor

In this study, a rapid-sensing material featuring azomethine functionalized Schiff base has been developed to address the pressing need for zirconium detection. The sensor demonstrates remarkable selectivity for zirconium (IV) ions, surpassing its performance with respect to other relevant metal ions. The elucidation of compound structures was accomplished through X-ray crystallography, unveiling a new approach to zirconium (IV) ion detection with a high binding constant of 8.01 × 104 M−1 and an exceptionally low limit of detection (LOD) of 31.5 nM. Moreover, the binding stoichiometry between Probe 4a and Zr(IV) was determined to be 1:1, as confirmed by both Job's plot analysis and spectroscopy analysis. Successful Zr(IV) ion detection in real samples was achieved using synthesized compound 4a. Furthermore, compound 4a exhibits notable antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Molecular docking analysis with the TLR-4 receptor protein supports the antibacterial efficacy of compound 4a, revealing a robust binding energy of -8.23 kcal mol−1.

Designing of bis-organosilanes as dual chemosensor for Sn(II) and Al(III) ions: Antibacterial activity and in silico molecular docking study

Here, in this article, we present the design and synthesis of 1,2,3-triazole allied Schiff base functionalized organosilanes 6(a-e) utilising single step approach. These compounds were further characterised using NMR (1H, 13C) and mass spectrometry. Furthermore, UV–Visible and fluorescence spectroscopy showed that compound 6a had a high selectivityto Sn(II) and Al(III) metal ions compared to other relevant metal ions with lowlimit of detection (LOD) values. Suppression of –C=N isomerization, constrained intramolecular charge transfer (ICT), and complexation with Sn(II)/Al(III) ions (Chelation Enhanced Fluorescence (CHEF)) results in probe 6a's enhanced turn on fluorescence toward the detection of Sn(II) and Al(III) ions. Probe 6a was a strong candidate for the detection of Sn(II) and Al(III) ions due to its selectivity, reversibility, and competitiveness. Since the detecting phenomenon can be reversed, the sensor 6a perfectly mimics the INHIBIT molecular logic gate. Also, computational study utilising DFT technique was used to shed light on the complexation mode of 6a with Sn(II) and Al(III) metal ions. The compound 6a's antibacterial activity has also been successfully tested against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria. Additionally, the compound 6a was docked to the E. coli and S. aureus proteins, which exhibited excellent results with binding energies of −7.18 Kcal mol−1 and −7.05 Kcal mol−1, respectively. As both in-vitro and docking studies demonstrated anti-bacterial activity of the probe 6a, it may be anticipated that the probe has potential to serve as anti-bacterial drug in nearly future.

Water-Floating Hydrogel Polymer Microsphere Composites for Application in Hydrological Mining of Cu(II) Ions.

Innovative materials and technologies capable of extraction and recovery of technologically relevant metal ions from various water sources, such as lakes, oceans, ponds, or wastewater reservoirs, are in great demand. Polymer beads are among the most well-known solid-phase adsorbents and ion exchangers employed in metal ion recovery. On the other hand, hydrogels are an emerging platform for producing innovative adsorbents, which are environmentally friendly and biocompatible materials. In this work, we take advantage of both technologies and produce a new type of material by loading nanostructured polymer microsphere adsorbent into a PVA matrix to obtain a hydrogel polymer microsphere (HPM) composite in the form of a block. The main role of the poly(4-vinylpyrridine-co-methacrylic acid) microspheres is to adsorb metal ions, such as Cu(II), from model water samples. The secondary role of these microspheres in the hydrogel is to change the hydrogel morphology by softening it and stabilizing it under a foam-like morphology. The foam-like morphology endows these composites with the capability of floating on water surfaces. In this work, we report, for the first time, an HPM composite capable of floating on water surfaces and extracting Cu(II) ions from model water samples. This could enable more environmentally friendly hydrological mining technologies by simply deploying adsorbents on water surfaces for metal ion extraction and recovery, thus eliminating the need for water pumping and mechanical processing steps.

Equilibrium Thermodynamics of Macropa Complexes with Selected Metal Isotopes of Radiopharmaceutical Interest.

To pursue the design of in vivo stable chelating systems for radiometals, a concise and straightforward method toolbox was developed combining NMR, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), and europium time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (Eu-TRLFS). For this purpose, the macropa chelator was chosen, and Lu3+, La3+, Pb2+, Ra2+, and Ba2+ were chosen as radiopharmaceutically relevant metal ions. They differ in charge (2+ and 3+) and coordination properties (main group vs lanthanides). 1H NMR was used to determine four pKa values (±0.15; carboxylate functions, 2.40 and 3.13; amino functions, 6.80 and 7.73). Eu-TRLFS was used to validate the exclusive existence of the 1:1 Mn+/ligand complex in the chosen pH range at tracer level concentrations. ITC measurements were accomplished to determine the resulting stability constants of the desired complexes, with log K values ranging from 18.5 for the Pb-mcp complex to 7.3 for the Lu-mcp complex. Density-functional-theory-calculated structures nicely mirror the complexes' order of stabilities by bonding features. Radiolabeling with macropa using ligand concentrations from 10-3 to 10-6 M was accomplished by pointing out the complex formation and stability (212Pb > 133La > 131Ba ≈ 224Ra > 177Lu) by means of normal-phase thin-layer chromatography analyses.

Paper-based colorimetric sensor for mercury ion detection using smartphone digital imaging

In this research, we have developed a colorimetric paper-based sensing platform for the determination of mercury ion (Hg2+) using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). To evaluate the selectivity in the response to a special target, urea is used as recognizing ligands on AuNPs for selective sensing Hg2+. Colorimetric readings in the presence of various environmentally relevant metal ions, such as Na+, K+, Zn2+, Pb2+, and Hg2+, were also studied. The results show that amongst all the tested metal ions, the SPR peaks are located at 525 nm except in the case of the present of Hg2+, in which is red shifted to 537 nm. Furthermore, a new broad peak is observed at the wavelength of 695 nm corresponding to the color change from red to purple. The relations of the ratios of maximum absorbance at 695 nm and 537 nm, and the concentration of Hg2+ illustrate the linear behavior with the sensitivity of 2.0 × 10-5 nM-1 and the detection limit of 30 nM. The modified AuNPs with urea are applied on the paper-based device for quantitative Hg2+ detection with smartphone digital imaging. The intensity ratios between blue and red colors are linear-dependence relations which can be used to determine the concentration of Hg2+.

Role of a mild reducing agent in designing a copper nanocluster-based tunable dual-metal sensor for the selective and sensitive detection of Ag+ and Fe2+

Protein-protected metal nanoclusters emerged as a promising class of biofriendly nano-materials due to their interdisciplinary applications, namely as efficient metal sensors. Here we have successfully designed a photoluminescent protein (lysozyme) scaffolded copper nanocluster (Lys-Cu NC) (λex= 365 nm, λem= 437 nm) that can be used as a cost-effective dual metal sensor for the sensitive and selective detection of silver (Ag+) and ferrous (Fe2+) ions through two independent photoluminescence turn off mechanisms. The nanocluster when synthesized in the presence of a mild reducing agent, hydrazine (N2H4), can selectively detect Ag+ (LOD = 4 nM) through a size-induced photoluminescence quenching method involving both static and dynamic mechanisms. By removing the excess N2H4 from the medium, the selectivity can be tuned towards Fe2+, which can quench the photoluminescence intensity through a static charge transfer process. However, the selectivity towards Ag+ can be recovered by externally adding N2H4 again to the medium. Thus, the selectivity of the nanocluster can be switched back and forth between Ag+ and Fe2+ by simply controlling the redox properties of the medium. This simple method of designing a dual-metal sensor reported in this study is unique and can be further extended to design multi-metal sensors for specific biologically and environmentally relevant metal ions in the future.

Tumor microenvironment as a bioreactor for Au&Fe3O4-DNA complex synthesis and targeted cancer therapy

The comprehensive diagnosis and treatment, integrating multiple diagnosis and treatment modalities into one system, is beneficial for disease prognosis and efficacy monitoring. Herein, in this contribution, we have constructed a unique cancer microenvironment responsive bioreactor to induce bio-self-assembly DNA with metal precursors (i.e., Au(III) and Fe(II)) to form the fluorescent and magnetic nanocomposites of the Au&Fe3O4-DNA complexes in situ. DNA acts as relevant metal ion carriers, and the photothermal effect will increase with the presence of DNA complexes with Au(III) and Fe(II), which helps to achieve accurate tumor lesions localization and precise tracing / imaging of cancer cells and tissues. Our observations demonstrate that the as-prepared Au&Fe3O4-DNA complexes could efficiently inhibit tumor growth by effectively consuming intracellular glutathione (GSH) in cancer cells, which usually induces oxidative stress injury and activates apoptosis. In addition, it allows enhanced photothermal therapy (PTT) under near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation. Therefore, these results illustrate that specific tumor micro-environment-responsive self-assembly formation of Au&Fe3O4-DNA complex can dual regulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and GSH levels in cancer cells; Meanwhile, this in situ bio-self-assembly DNA functional probes have the advantages of precise tumor localization and targeted thermal imaging as well as multi-modal therapy, and thus provide a promising approach for cancer early diagnosis and efficient treatment.

Synthesis of Fluorophore Based Functional Material for Selective Detection of Al3+ Ion in Water and Decoding the AIEE Property of Its Hydrosol.

A designed aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE) active fluorescence probe 2,3-Bis-[(2-hydroxy-napthalen-1-ylmethylene)-amino]-but-2-enedinitrile (L) was synthesized via one step condensation method. The probe shows swift sensitivity and selectivity toward Al3+over other relevant metal ions and also exhibits significant AIEE phenomena in methanol/water mixture. Significant enhancement of fluorescence intensity is triggered via chelation-enhanced fluorescence through complex (Al3+-L) formation. A 2:1 metal to ligand ratio is observed from Job's plot based on UV - Vis absorption titration and detection limit (LOD) is found as low as 31.14nM. Moreover, 1H NMR titrations and fluorescence reversibility by adding Al3+ and EDTA sequentially had been performed to establish the binding site of sensor complex (Al3+-L). Time-resolved photoluminescence, dynamic light scattering, optical microscopy, and on-site visualization studies have been performed to understand the AIEE mechanism of L in different volume percentage of water and methanol mixture. An INHIBIT molecular logic gate has been constructed utilizing the fluorescence behavior of the probe, L in presence of Al3+ and strong chelating ligand EDTA.

A Novel Cu2+ Quantitative Detection Nucleic Acid Biosensors Based on DNAzyme and “Blocker” Beacon

In this paper, a "turn-off" biosensor for detecting copper (II) ions based on Cu2+-dependent DNAzyme and a "blocker" beacon were developed. Upon the copper ion being added, the Cu2+-dependent DNAzyme substrate strand was irreversibly cleaved, thereby blocking the occurrence of the ligation reaction and PCR, which inhibited the G-rich sequence from forming the G-quadruplex structure, efficiently reducing the detection signal. This method had the characteristics of strong specificity and high sensitivity compared with the existing method due to the application of ligation-dependent probe signal recognition and amplification procedures. Under the optimized conditions, this method proved to be highly sensitive. The signal decreased as the concentration of copper ions increased, exhibiting a linear calibration from 0.03125 μM to 0.5 μM and a limit of detection of 18.25 nM. Subsequently, the selectivity of this biosensor was verified to be excellent by testing different relevant metal ions. Furthermore, this detection system of copper (II) ions was successfully applied to monitor Cu2+ contained in actual water samples, which demonstrated the feasibility of the biosensor.

Tris(4-formyl phenyl)amine functionalized mesoporous silica for selective sensing of Al3+ and its separation

Modification of a solid support with a suitable organic moiety offers an opportunity for simultaneous detection and removal of an analyte. Here, functionalized mesoporous silica (FMS-TPA-en) has been synthesized with SBA-15 silica as the solid support by successive functionalization of the inorganic mesoporous silica framework with 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane, tris(4-formyl phenyl)amine and ethylenediamine. The materials in successive stages have been characterized in the solid state using powder X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption/desorption and electron microscopic studies, FT-IR spectra and thermogravimetric analysis. Photoluminescence studies of the material reveal that it is able to sense Al3+ ion selectively among other relevant cations in methanol. Fluorescence of FMS-TPA-en increases at 470 nm upon excitation at 390 nm in the presence of the trivalent cation. It has also been observed that the intensity of the functionalized material remains unchanged in the presence of most of the other relevant metal ions. Here, the combination of tris(4-formyl phenyl)amine and ethylenediamine moieties acts as the fluorophoric units having binding pocket for the binding of metal ion(s). Fluorescence enhancement occurs via PET and CHEFF mechanisms. It has also been observed that the binding of the probe to Al3+ is reversible in nature. FMS-TPA-en has been used for the separation of Al3+ with high efficiency and the solid probe could be easily recycled.