LAUSR

Abstract The development of a smart sensor which is capable of detecting multiple analytes established on a single host material will be more effective than the one-target analysis method. Herein, a new fluorescent nanoprobe based on polydopamine-polyethyleneimine copolymers nanoparticles (PDA-PEI NPs) has been prepared for the first step. Lanthanide ions are incorporated by coordination reaction via the pendant organic arms such as diethylene-triamine-pentaacetic dianhydride (DTPA) and PDA-PEI-DTPA-Eu nanoprobe is assembled. Anthrax biomarker (2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid, DPA) induces the substantial increase for signals of europium ions and the luminescence has been changed from green to red (detection limit = 37.1 nM). Following this treatment, the presence of copper ions can lead to suppression of lanthanide electronic transitions and the emission evolves from red to green again (detection limit = 65 nM). Finally, the addition of glutathione (GSH) will recover the red luminescence (detection limit = 0.8 μM) and an “on-off-on” effect has been achieved. This study may stimulate the potentials of lanthanide-based polymeric nanoprobes during the assessment in sensing systems.