An inner filter effect fluorescent sensor based on g-C3N4 nanosheets/chromogenic probe for simple detection of glutathione

A fluorescent sensor for the determination of glutathione (GSH) has been developed, which is based on the absorption of a newly designed thiols-specific chromogenic probe (CP) coupled with the use of a thiols-independent fluorophore g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets. It was operated on the inner filter effect (IFE). To construct an efficient IFE system, the CP molecules were adsorbed on the surface of g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets via π–π stacking interaction. When the biothiol introduced the systems, the weak fluorescence would be restored because of “IFE off”. The novel IFE sensor was established for GSH and regarded it as a model target analyte. The IFE sensor had a sensitive response for GSH in a linear range of 0.05   μM   L −1 to 1.0   μM   L −1 and the limit of detection was 0.01   μM. The sensor was successfully applied for the quantitative detection of biothiols in human serum. Additionally, the proposed sensor shows high specificity and sensitivity.