Fluorescent chemical sensors play a pivotal role in the analytical sciences, providing a repertoire of tools with exceptional sensitivity, selectivity, and rapid response for identifying various analytes. These sensors exploit the fluorescence variations of organic or inorganic materials that occur upon interaction with specific molecules or ions and have found extensive applications in fields such as environmental monitoring, biomedical diagnostics, food safety, and forensic analysis. Significant strides in organic fluorescent sensors have centered around small-molecule fluorophores, polymers, and supramolecular systems, harnessing mechanisms like photoinduced electron transfer (PET), chelation-enhanced fluorescence (CHEF), aggregation-induced emission (AIE), and indicator displacement assays (IDA). Recent advancements in incorporating dynamic covalent bonds and supramolecular chemistry have vastly improved the precision and breadth of these sensors, facilitating selective detection of cations, anions, and neutral molecules. Conversely, inorganic fluorescent sensors, including metal complexes and hybrid materials like metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), offer unparalleled structural customization that enhances sensitivity and selectivity, especially with biologically relevant metal ions. The fusion of inorganic frameworks with fluorescent attributes introduces innovative avenues for tailoring sensor efficacy via geometric and electronic refinements.

This Research Topic aspires to present a robust platform capturing the latest innovations and breakthroughs in both organic and inorganic fluorescent chemical sensors. We aim to illuminate novel design principles, elucidate sensing mechanisms, and celebrate material advancements geared towards realizing efficient, selective, and pragmatic sensors that address intricate analytical dilemmas.

To elucidate further insights in fluorescent chemical sensing technologies, we invite contributions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

- Design and synthesis of novel organic fluorescent probes and supramolecular sensors
- Development of inorganic fluorescent chemosensors, including metal complexes and nanomaterials
- Mechanistic studies on fluorescence response modulation and sensing strategies such as PET, CHEF, AIE, and IDA
- Fabrication of hybrid materials like MOFs and covalent organic frameworks (COFs) for fluorescence sensing
- Analytical applications of fluorescent sensors spanning environmental, biological, pharmaceutical, and forensic domains
- Advancements in fluorescence imaging, ratiometric sensing, and sensor arrays
- Metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF)-based sensing mechanisms
- Current status of fluorescence-based methodologies in clinical diagnostics (e.g., PCR)
- Challenges and future prospects in the fluorescent chemical sensor arena

Are you interested in contributing a manuscript to this Research Topic?

Fluorescent Chemical Sensors: Innovations in Organic and Inorganic Materials for Advanced Analytical Applications