Tailored Fluorescent Probes for Selective Recognition of Heavy Metal Species
A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Analytical Chemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025
Special Issue Editor
Interests: fluorescent sensors; bioimaging; disease diagnosis; disease markers; biomolecular research
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue, titled “Tailored Fluorescent Probes for Selective Recognition of Heavy Metal Species”, aims to advance the development of highly selective and sensitive fluorescent sensors for detecting toxic heavy metal ions in environmental, biological, and food systems. Heavy metals, such as mercury, lead, and cadmium, present severe ecological and health risks due to their persistence and bioaccumulation. Addressing these challenges requires innovative probe designs that combine molecular engineering, advanced materials, and interdisciplinary approaches to achieve precise recognition, real-time monitoring, and multi-functional applications. Contributing authors are encouraged to explore novel strategies for enhancing probe performance, including the integration of fluorophores like BODIPY or pyrazoline derivatives into polymer matrices or nanomaterials, as well as mechanisms such as Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) and coordination chemistry to improve detection limits and anti-interference capabilities.
The scope of this issue spans fundamental research and practical implementations, emphasizing probes capable of simultaneous multi-target detection (e.g., Cu2+/Fe3+ or Hg2+/Ag+ pairs) and applications in live-cell imaging, environmental remediation, and food safety analysis. Additionally, studies leveraging computational tools like density functional theory (DFT) to elucidate binding mechanisms or optimize probe design are welcome. This issue will also highlight the need for scalable synthesis, biocompatibility, and field-deployable solutions, fostering collaborations across nanotechnology, supramolecular chemistry, and data-driven sensor development. By bridging theoretical insights with experimental validation, this collection seeks to drive breakthroughs in smart sensing technologies for sustainable environmental and public health protection.
Dr. Ying Hu
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
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. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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 probes
- heavy metal detection
- selective recognition
- multi-target sensing
- environmental monitoring
- bioimaging
- food safety
- sensor design
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
