Abiotic Fluorescent Receptors for Detection of Pb2+ in Aqueous Media as well as Living Cells: Mechanistic and Sensing Aspects

Abstract

Substantial utility of lead in numerous industries (storage, batteries, gasoline, cable manufacture, paint and ammunition), has resulted in recurring of environmental contamination. Lead being one of the highly abundant elements in nature, ranks third among the list of toxic substances. Owing to its ever-increasing demand and allied toxicity (memory loss, irritability, anemia, muscle paralysis, and mental retardation), development of novel synthetic receptors suitable to track Pb 2+ in vitro as well as in vivo has been an exciting area of research in the past few decades. In this review, emphasis has been diverted to summarize and briefly discuss major contributions made towards development of fluorescent abiotic receptors capable of sensing ionic lead (Pb 2+ ) under aqueous environments as well as in living cells.