Design principles for metal-organic receptors targeting optical recognition of Pd(II) in environmental matrices

TL;DR

This review discusses recent advances in optical metal-based sensors, including metal complexes and MOFs, for selective palladium detection in environmental samples, highlighting design strategies, performance factors, and future directions.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of recent developments in luminescent and colorimetric probes for Pd2+ detection, emphasizing design principles and potential applications.

Findings

Metal-based sensors offer high selectivity for Pd2+ detection.

Optical sensors demonstrate advantages like large Stokes shifts and photostability.

Recent strategies improve water solubility and recyclability of sensors.

Abstract

A precise detection of palladium (Pd) ions is a critical challenge with significant socio-economic implications across various industrial and chemical sectors. Due to its widespread use and poor biodegradability, Pd2+ accumulates in environmental ecosystems, posing severe risks to both the environment and living organisms. Consequently, there is a strong demand for selective, sensitive, and user-friendly detection methods. Among emerging strategies, optical detection techniques (both luminescent and colorimetric) using metal-based receptors have gained considerable attention. These sensors offer distinct advantages over traditional organic probes, including large Stokes shifts, long emission lifetimes, exceptional photostability, enhanced water solubility, recyclability, and remarkable chemical versatility. These attributes make them highly suitable for diverse applications in sensing and bioanalytical fields. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in luminescent and colorimetric metal-based probes, including metal complexes and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), for the selective detection of Pd2+. It discusses key design strategies, critical performance factors, and future prospects, offering valuable insights for researchers working on next-generation sensing platform.