Adjustable luminescence copper nanoclusters nanoswitch based on competitive coordination of samarium ions for cascade detection of adenosine triphosphate and acid phosphatase activity

Benefit from the strong coordination property, lanthanide metal ions have been used as competitive reagents to modulate the fluorescence changes of the system. However, lanthanide metal ions as inducers for aggregation-induced emission enhancement in nanosystems is rare. Herein, we report a “turn on–off-on” fluorescent switch for cascade detection of acid phosphatase (ACP) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) based on the competitive coordination of samarium ions (Sm 3+ ). Novel copper nanoclusters (CuNCs) with long wavelength emission (614 nm) stabilized by glutathione (GSH) and glycylglycine (Gly-Gly) have been confirmed to have AIE property. With the continuous aggregation of GSH/Gly-Gly CuNCs under the induction of Sm 3+ , the fluorescence of the system increased to achieve the “turn-on” process. The coordinated behaviour between Sm 3+ and GSH/Gly-Gly CuNCs is discussed. Due to the strong metal coordination ability of ATP, the Sm 3+ coordinated with the GSH/Gly-Gly CuNCs is competed out, resulting in the fluorescence “turn-off” process of the system. As the substrate of enzymatic hydrolysis of ACP, with the continuous hydrolysis of ATP by ACP, Sm 3+ coordinates with GSH/Gly-Gly CuNCs again, which leads to the AIE effect and realize the fluorescence "turn-on" process of the system. This strategy results in ATP linear range of 0.508 ~ 120.0 μM with a detection limit of 0.508 μM (S/N = 3) and ACP linear range of 0.011 ~ 30.0 U·L −1 with a detection limit of 0.011 U·L −1 (S/N = 3). Application to biologic samples was successful. Graphical Abstract