Integration of carbon dots and molecularly-imprinted polymers for smartphone-assisted fluorescence sensing: From rational design to versatile applications

초록

The growing demand for point-of-care (POC) testing calls for field-deployable platforms capable of trace-level quantification of hazardous substances. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) offer high specificity, while carbon dots (CDs) provide stable optical transduction. Yet, the practical application of CDs/MIPs composites has been constrained by their reliance on bulky fluorometers. Smartphone integration overcomes this bottleneck by digitizing fluorescence changes into quantifiable colorimetric data, enabling portable, real-time analysis. Among various material systems , CDs/MIPs stand out for field use. Their advantages includebiocompatibility, scalability from renewable precursors, excellent photostability, and seamless integration with MIPs without complex surface modification. This state-of-the-art review provides a systematic overview of advances reported through 2026 in the design principles, sensing mechanisms, and analytical applications of smartphone-assisted CDs/MIPs fluorescence platforms. Further, sensor design is also evaluated to clarify how underlying photophysical mechanisms drive signal transduction through quenching and enhancement. Their versatility in food safety, environmental monitoring, and biomarker analysis is examined alongside critical deployment factors, including analytical performance, stability, and economic viability. Future research should be directed toward overcoming key barriers to the development of next-generation smart analytical platforms, such as hardware standardization, green material design, multiplexed detection, sensor durability, and intelligent data processing.

키워드