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Chemosensors
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Advanced Colorimetric and Fluorescent Sensors and Their Application in Detection,...
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Advanced Colorimetric and Fluorescent Sensors and Their Application in Detection, 2nd Edition

A special issue of Chemosensors (ISSN 2227-9040). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Chemical Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2025) | Viewed by 6957

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Gajanan Ghodake

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biological and Environmental Science, Dongguk University-Seoul, 32 Dongguk-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si 10326, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
Interests: solar cell chemosensors; biosensor; food analysis; environmental monitoring; nanomaterials synthesis and characterization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Recent developments in colorimetric sensors, which have been an important trend in the past two decades, have helped researchers to make rapid progress in analytical chemistry, with several eminent research groups worldwide working to prepare novel chemical sensing platforms. These systems can be cost-effective, sensitive, and selective, and can also be printed on chips or surfaces. Moreover, the main advantages of such methods include the possibility of designing naked eye visualization systems or ease of measuring changes in color using microtiter plate readers, smartphones, cameras, or using image capturing systems. Several approaches have advanced the rapidly evolving field of sensing for the detection of clinical markers, emerging diseases, pesticides, antibiotics, micro-pollutants, heavy metals, and toxic chemical compounds in an inexpensive way, including visual imaging and spectrophotometric or fluorometric measurements. Generally, the three most popular approaches, which have been predominantly used in developing colorimetric sensors, include (i) linking a chromophore group to a receptor unit through covalent bonding, (ii) the use of competitive assays between a certain analyte and a dye attached to a receptor, and (iii) the use of unique molecular systems that follow guest-induced chemical reactions to produce appropriate colorimetric changes. However, the application of nanomaterials in colorimetric and fluorometric sensing systems has the potential to offer a full set of novel properties and advances to be explored. This Special Issue is proposed to offer a timely contribution to issues of great concern in recently emerging concepts, materials, and technologies in areas including sensing, detection, diagnosis, and monitoring.

Research topics include but are not limited to the scope of the Special Issue, which covers sensors that involve nanomaterials in the recognition moiety (supramolecular hybrid materials), in the signaling groups (metal nanoparticles, fluorescent nanoparticles, quantum dots), or sensing devices, chips, and paper-based sensors (aggregation processes). Furthermore, other areas such as chromogenic arrays, fluorescent dyes, or other emerging fields in sensing can be discussed. Research papers, short communications, and review articles are most welcome. For authors intending to submit a review article, it would be useful to send the first title page, abstract, and summary of content and graphical representations to the Guest Editor prior to submission. Researchers and scientists are warmly invited to submit well-written and edited manuscripts for publication.

Dr. Gajanan Ghodake
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Chemosensors is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • fluorescent sensors
  • colorimetric sensor
  • chromogenic chemosensors
  • nanomaterials
  • quantum dots
  • optical properties
  • clinical markers
  • point-of-care
  • COVID-19
  • organic pollutants
  • environmental monitoring
  • heavy metals
  • micro-pollutants
  • antibiotics
  • food safety

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 3752 KB  
Article
A Facile Solid-Phase Synthesis of Scandium-Modified Carbon Dots for Fluorescent Sensing of Cu2+
by Yalei Dong, Wei Song, Jing Hu and Cuiling Ren
Chemosensors 2025, 13(12), 430; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors13120430 - 11 Dec 2025
Abstract
Scandium-modified carbon dots (Sc-oCDs) were synthesized in this work through a solid-phase approach. The prepared Sc-oCDs exhibited excitation-independent emission properties, as well as photostability against pH, ionic strength, and UV irradiation. Their fluorescence quantum yields significantly exceeded those of unmodified counterparts, confirming effective [...] Read more.
Scandium-modified carbon dots (Sc-oCDs) were synthesized in this work through a solid-phase approach. The prepared Sc-oCDs exhibited excitation-independent emission properties, as well as photostability against pH, ionic strength, and UV irradiation. Their fluorescence quantum yields significantly exceeded those of unmodified counterparts, confirming effective Sc modification. The Sc-oCDs also possessed upconversion fluorescence at 542 nm with 980 nm excitation. Additionally, the as-prepared Sc-oCDs functioned as an effective fluorescent sensor for Cu2+, demonstrating selective fluorescence quenching. A linear correlation was observed between the quenching efficiency and Cu2+ concentration from 1 to 600 μM, achieving a detection limit of 0.167 μM. Operating via dynamic quenching, this sensing system achieved highly selective and rapid (<1 min) detection of Cu2+, enabling sensitive Cu2+ monitoring in aqueous samples. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Colorimetric and Fluorescent Sensors and Their Application in Detection, 2nd Edition)
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12 pages, 1430 KB  
Article
Development of a Flatbed Scanner-Based Colorimetric Method for the Indirect Determination of Fluoride Ions Using 96-Well Plates in Oral Hygiene Products
by Chrysanthi Galenteridi, Maria Tarara, Paraskevas D. Tzanavaras and George Z. Tsogas
Chemosensors 2025, 13(12), 410; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors13120410 - 29 Nov 2025
Viewed by 255
Abstract
An indirect, novel, fast, and facile assay was developed for the colorimetric determination of fluoride anions using 96-well plates. The proposed method relies on the colorimetric degradation caused by fluoride ions after their reaction with the iron–thiocyanate complex in an acidic medium. The [...] Read more.
An indirect, novel, fast, and facile assay was developed for the colorimetric determination of fluoride anions using 96-well plates. The proposed method relies on the colorimetric degradation caused by fluoride ions after their reaction with the iron–thiocyanate complex in an acidic medium. The procedure required the addition of minimal amounts of ferric iron and thiocyanate anion solutions to form the corresponding complex with an intense blood-red color, after which, upon addition of fluoride ions, this complex would dissociate, and its color would gradually fade depending on the analyte concentration. The colorimetric differences were measured using a simple imaging device such as a flatbed scanner. Various parameters affecting the analytical performance of the proposed method were optimized, including solution concentrations, pH values, and reaction time for Fe(III)-SCN complex formation and its disintegration process. The proposed assay was successfully applied to the determination of F− in oral hygiene product samples. The method exhibited acceptable detection limits (3.2 mg L−1) with sufficient precision, good intra-day and inter-day reproducibility (ranging from 1.5 to 5.2%), and high selectivity against other anions and components of the samples under study. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Colorimetric and Fluorescent Sensors and Their Application in Detection, 2nd Edition)
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17 pages, 3921 KB  
Article
A Label-Free Fluorescence Polarization for Protein Detection Based on Albumin Nanoparticles
by Yunshu Wang, Ruixin An, Fengwei Liu, Zeyan Dong, Sheng Yang and Siyu Liu
Chemosensors 2025, 13(11), 396; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors13110396 - 12 Nov 2025
Viewed by 445
Abstract
Human serum albumin (HSA), an endogenous protein, was employed in the synthesis of nanoparticles. The treatment of an HSA solution with ethanol and glutaraldehyde resulted in the formation of human serum albumin nanoparticles (HSA NPs), which exhibited a weak fluorescence emission peak at [...] Read more.
Human serum albumin (HSA), an endogenous protein, was employed in the synthesis of nanoparticles. The treatment of an HSA solution with ethanol and glutaraldehyde resulted in the formation of human serum albumin nanoparticles (HSA NPs), which exhibited a weak fluorescence emission peak at 515 nm upon excitation at 360 nm. Importantly, these synthesized HSA NPs displayed a pronounced fluorescence polarization (FP) signal under identical excitation and emission conditions. Furthermore, incubation of the HSA NPs with specific DNA aptamers targeting lysozyme and thrombin led to a significant decrease in the FP values. This reduction in FP was effectively reversed upon the addition of lysozyme and thrombin. Based on these observations, a label-free fluorescence polarization-based detection platform for lysozyme and thrombin was developed utilizing HSA NPs and a DNA aptamer system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Colorimetric and Fluorescent Sensors and Their Application in Detection, 2nd Edition)
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13 pages, 1833 KB  
Article
A Ratiometric Fluorescent Probe Based on CDs-Functionalized UiO-66 for Efficient Detection of Uric Acid
by Hongmei Gao, Yourong Zhao, Yuhong Xie, Yiying Wang, Jie Che, Daojiang Gao and Zhanglei Ning
Chemosensors 2025, 13(9), 340; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors13090340 - 5 Sep 2025
Viewed by 829
Abstract
In this study, a novel carbon quantum dots-functionalized UiO-66 composite was successfully prepared via the post-synthetic modification method and further developed into a ratiometric fluorescent probe for detecting uric acid. The composite demonstrates excellent structural and luminescent stability under challenging environmental conditions. As [...] Read more.
In this study, a novel carbon quantum dots-functionalized UiO-66 composite was successfully prepared via the post-synthetic modification method and further developed into a ratiometric fluorescent probe for detecting uric acid. The composite demonstrates excellent structural and luminescent stability under challenging environmental conditions. As a ratiometric fluorescent probe, its recognition principle relies on the ratio of response signals from two different fluorescent emission centers in the composite. In the presence of uric acid, the fluorescence emission intensity at 430 nm from CDs did not change significantly. However, the fluorescence intensity at 545 nm from Tb3+ ions decreased remarkably. This material was evaluated for its capacity to sense urinary components and was shown to specifically recognize uric acid over a wide concentration range (0~5 × 10−3 M). Moreover, it exhibited strong resistance to interference and high sensitivity in uric acid detection. The detection limit (LOD) was determined to be 0.102 μM through quantitative analysis. The sensing mechanism was validated through spectral overlap and fluorescence lifetime analysis, which can be attributed to the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) process. This ratiometric fluorescent probe provides an efficient and reliable strategy for detecting the biomarker uric acid. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Colorimetric and Fluorescent Sensors and Their Application in Detection, 2nd Edition)
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11 pages, 3086 KB  
Article
A Carbazole-Based Aggregation-Induced Emission “Turn-On” Sensor for Mercury Ions in Aqueous Solution
by Remya Radha, Mohammed S. Valliyengal and Mohammad H. Al-Sayah
Chemosensors 2025, 13(8), 276; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors13080276 - 25 Jul 2025
Viewed by 1040
Abstract
The development of rapid detection methods to identify mercury ions in aqueous solutions is crucial for effectively monitoring environmental contamination. Fluorescent chemical sensors offer a fast and reliable approach to detect and analyze these metal ions. In this study, a sensor utilizing aggregation-induced [...] Read more.
The development of rapid detection methods to identify mercury ions in aqueous solutions is crucial for effectively monitoring environmental contamination. Fluorescent chemical sensors offer a fast and reliable approach to detect and analyze these metal ions. In this study, a sensor utilizing aggregation-induced emission (AIE) is introduced as a ’turn-on’ fluorescent sensor specifically designed for mercury ions in aqueous solutions. The sensor, based on carbazole, forms aggregates in aqueous solutions, resulting in a significant 800% enhancement of its fluorescence signal. When elemental iodine is added to the solution, the fluorescence of the aggregates is quenched by 90%. However, upon subsequent addition of mercury ions, the fluorescence is regenerated, and the intensity of the emission signal is directly proportional to the concentration of the ions across a wide concentration range. The carbazole-iodine complex acts as a fluorescent probe, enabling the detection of mercury ions in aqueous solutions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Colorimetric and Fluorescent Sensors and Their Application in Detection, 2nd Edition)
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40 pages, 12228 KB  
Article
Design and Synthesis of Arylboronic Acid Chemosensors for the Fluorescent-Thin Layer Chromatography (f-TLC) Detection of Mycolactone
by Gideon Atinga Akolgo, Benjamin M. Partridge, Timothy D. Craggs, Kingsley Bampoe Asiedu and Richard Kwamla Amewu
Chemosensors 2025, 13(7), 244; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors13070244 - 9 Jul 2025
Viewed by 3112
Abstract
Fluorescent chemosensors are increasingly becoming relevant in recognition chemistry due to their sensitivity, selectivity, fast response time, real-time detection capability, and low cost. Boronic acids have been reported for the recognition of mycolactone, the cytotoxin responsible for tissue damage in Buruli ulcer disease. [...] Read more.
Fluorescent chemosensors are increasingly becoming relevant in recognition chemistry due to their sensitivity, selectivity, fast response time, real-time detection capability, and low cost. Boronic acids have been reported for the recognition of mycolactone, the cytotoxin responsible for tissue damage in Buruli ulcer disease. A library of fluorescent arylboronic acid chemosensors with various signaling moieties with certain beneficial photophysical characteristics (i.e., aminoacridine, aminoquinoline, azo, BODIPY, coumarin, fluorescein, and rhodamine variants) and a recognition moiety (i.e., boronic acid unit) were rationally designed and synthesised using combinatorial approaches, purified, and fully characterised using a set of complementary spectrometric and spectroscopic techniques such as NMR, LC-MS, FT-IR, and X-ray crystallography. In addition, a complete set of basic photophysical quantities such as absorption maxima (λabsmax), emission maxima (λemmax), Stokes shift (∆λ), molar extinction coefficient (ε), fluorescence quantum yield (ΦF), and brightness were determined using UV-vis absorption and fluorescence emission spectroscopy techniques. The synthesised arylboronic acid chemosensors were investigated as chemosensors for mycolactone detection using the fluorescent-thin layer chromatography (f-TLC) method. Compound 7 (with a coumarin core) emerged the best (λabsmax = 456 nm, λemmax = 590 nm, ∆λ = 134 nm, ε = 52816 M−1cm−1, ΦF = 0.78, and brightness = 41,197 M−1cm−1). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Colorimetric and Fluorescent Sensors and Their Application in Detection, 2nd Edition)
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