A crab-like fluorescent probe for Ga(III) detection in body fluids and biological tissues

The application of Ga-based compounds in medical and industrial fields could induce accumulation of gallium in the human body, and further exert certain Ga-toxic effect on health. So it is very important for gallium detection in biological aspects and different environments. Fluorescent analysis owning various merits surpass other analytic methods and received great attention recently. In this work, a biomimetic crab-like fluorescent probe denoted as NL was designed and successfully synthesized, which can selectively recognize Ga 3+ from other metal ions in acetate buffer/DMSO ( v/v   =   1/1, pH   =   5. 2), and the limit of detection was 12. 89   nM. Moreover, this probe can detect Ga 3+ in complex environments, such as human serum and urine, pork, rabbit kidney and rabbit liver, and even in simulated pollution water. Besides, the proposed method can provide portable test for Ga 3+ and reach a detection limit to 1. 2   mg/Kg by naked eye under ultraviolet irradiation, which is lower than the toxic concentration (4   mg/Kg) of Ga 3+ permitted in organs. The results indicated that NL can be further applied in clinical examination and environmental detection, and the biomimetic designing can provide reference to the development of other fluorescent sensors.