Development of a nanoscale-based optical chemical sensor for the detection of no radical

Nitric oxide is one of the most important biochemical parameters in biological processes; it is also known as carcinogenic. There is need for the design of stable and durable solid phase nitric oxide sensors. In this study, we immobilized the nitric oxide sensitive molecules pyrene, tris(2,2’-bipyrdyl)dichlororuthenium(II) hexahydrate (Ru(bipy)²⁺₃ ), and magnesium phthalocyanine (Mg-Pc) for the first time in polymeric or glassy matrices. We applied silver nanoparticles and ionic liquids in the fabrication process of polymeric electrospun fibers and thin films. We compared their NO sensitivity in micelle solutions that mimic the cell medium by both steady state and lifetime-based fluorescence measurements. Among the tested dyes, the pyrene exhibited the highest response for radicalic NO. The Mg-Pc dye followed pyrene in terms of sensitivity and exhibited increasing fluorescence intensity and lifetime-based response. Lifetime-based response is advantageous and selective as it is not affected by source variations, photo-bleaching, or leaching effects. Another advantage of Mg-Pc dye is that it is not poisonous for organic systems. Presence of the ionic liquid enhanced the sensor response in all of the test moieties. The obtained limit of detection values for pyrene, Ru(bipy)²⁺₃ and Mg-Pc dyes were 0.15 µM, 1.54 µM, and 0.78 µM, respectively.