Fluorescent Sensors/ Materials to Detect Analytes and Their Applications

Fluorescence-based sensing including Förster resonance energy transfer is an efficient technique to detect various bio/chemical analytes due to the successful use of fluorescent probes in vivo optical imaging for clinical applications. Fluorescence imaging is a rapid, noninvasive, real-time, selective, and sensitive diagnostic tool for the prognosis and diagnosis of several diseases in the early stage (i.e., cell growth, cell movement, cell functions, etc). In this chapter, we present the recent advancement in fluorescent biosensors that employ specific fluorescent bioprobes and numerous nanomaterials (i.e., carbon-based, metals, semiconductors, quantum dots, metal-organic frameworks, etc.) due to their large surface area and good electrical and optical properties that enhance the sensor’s sensitivity and selectivity. We present a comparative overview of the sensing performances (sensitivity, the limit of detection, etc.) of the different fluorescence techniques for the detection of a variety of bio/chemical substances such as amino acids, proteins, pathogens, pesticides, neurotransmitters, metabolites, and micronutrients. The chapter also discusses the future perspectives and key challenges to commercializing rapid fluorescent biosensors for point-of-care testing (POCT).