A “Turn-Off” Fluorescence Sensor Based on 1,1,2,2-Tetraphenylethylene for the Selective Detection of Antiviral Agents

Abstract

In this study, we constructed a “turn-off” fluorescence probe for the specific detection of antiviral agents by preparing stable reserve solutions of 1,1,2,2-tetraphenylethylene (TPE), which notably exhibits the character of aggregation-induced emission (AIE). The fluorescent molecules were systematically characterized. The maximum excitation and emission peaks were located at 281 and 440 nm, respectively. We discussed the fluorescence response between TPE and antiviral agents, as well as the effects of certain single-variable factors. The % suppressed efficiency (%E) was calculated and the Stern–Volmer equation was analyzed. The results indicated that Cidofovir (CDV) can more effectively quench TPE based on the mechanism of internal filtration effect (IFE) and static quenching. We studied the linear correlation between fluorescence intensity and the concentration of CDV. The limit of detection (LOD) was found to be 0.2279 mg·L⁻¹. The recovery rates of CDV in blank samples ranged from 93.22%–97.90%. Additionally, different letters “L” were written using the prepared solutions under ambient light and UV light, respectively, demonstrating that the written contents were both readable and easily erasable. The specific recognition of CDV using TPE lays the groundwork for detecting CDV residues, which holds promising prospects for practical detection.