{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,17]],"date-time":"2025-12-17T08:26:21Z","timestamp":1765959981836,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":50,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2018,4,11]],"date-time":"2018-04-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1523404800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"the National Key Basic Research Program of China","award":["2017YFA0205300"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2017YFA0205300"]}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001809","name":"the National Natural Science Foundation of China","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["21475064"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["21475064"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001809","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"the Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University","award":["IRT_15R37"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["IRT_15R37"]}]},{"name":"the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions","award":["YX03002"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["YX03002"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>A novel fluorescent \u201coff-on\u201d probe based on carbon nitride (C3N4) nanoribbons was developed for citrate anion (C6H5O73\u2212) detection. The fluorescence of C3N4 nanoribbons can be quenched by Cu2+ and then recovered by the addition of C6H5O73\u2212, because the chelation between C6H5O73\u2212 and Cu2+ blocks the electron transfer between Cu2+ and C3N4 nanoribbons. The turn-on fluorescent sensor using this fluorescent \u201coff-on\u201d probe can detect C6H5O73\u2212 rapidly and selectively, showing a wide detection linear range (1~400 \u03bcM) and a low detection limit (0.78 \u03bcM) in aqueous solutions. Importantly, this C3N4 nanoribbon-based \u201coff-on\u201d probe exhibits good biocompatibility and can be used as fluorescent visualizer for exogenous C6H5O73\u2212 in HeLa cells.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s18041163","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2018,4,11]],"date-time":"2018-04-11T12:16:50Z","timestamp":1523449010000},"page":"1163","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["A Novel \u201cOff-On\u201d Fluorescent Probe Based on Carbon Nitride Nanoribbons for the Detection of Citrate Anion and Live Cell Imaging"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"given":"Yanling","family":"Hu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics &amp; Information Displays (KLOEID) and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, 9 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8605-6720","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dongliang","family":"Yang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics &amp; Information Displays (KLOEID) and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, 9 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China"}]},{"given":"Chen","family":"Yang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics &amp; Information Displays (KLOEID) and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, 9 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China"}]},{"given":"Ning","family":"Feng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics &amp; Information Displays (KLOEID) and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, 9 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China"}]},{"given":"Zhouwei","family":"Shao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics &amp; Information Displays (KLOEID) and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, 9 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0045-2539","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lei","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics &amp; Information Displays (KLOEID) and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, 9 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China"}]},{"given":"Xiaodong","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics &amp; Information Displays (KLOEID) and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, 9 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China"}]},{"given":"Lixing","family":"Weng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Geography and Biological Information, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, 9 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China"}]},{"given":"Zhimin","family":"Luo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics &amp; Information Displays (KLOEID) and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, 9 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China"}]},{"given":"Lianhui","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics &amp; Information Displays (KLOEID) and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biosensors, Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, 9 Wenyuan Road, Nanjing 210023, China"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2018,4,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"19611","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1117773108","article-title":"Hypoxia promotes isocitrate dehydrogenase-dependent carboxylation of alpha-ketoglutarate to citrate to support cell growth and viability","volume":"108","author":"Wise","year":"2011","journal-title":"Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA"},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"25","article-title":"Concepts of citrate production and secretion by prostate 1","volume":"18","author":"Costello","year":"1991","journal-title":"Metab. Relatsh. Prostate"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"475","DOI":"10.1007\/s12013-013-9750-1","article-title":"Citric acid cycle and role of its intermediates in metabolism","volume":"68","author":"Akram","year":"2014","journal-title":"Cell Biochem. Biophys."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"520","DOI":"10.1111\/cei.12591","article-title":"Citrate modulates lipopolysaccharide-induced monocyte inflammatory responses","volume":"180","author":"Ashbrook","year":"2015","journal-title":"Clin. Exp. Immunol."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"22425","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.1009219107","article-title":"Strongly bound citrate stabilizes the apatite nanocrystals in bone","volume":"107","author":"Hu","year":"2010","journal-title":"Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"555","DOI":"10.1016\/j.snb.2012.07.030","article-title":"A new selective chromogenic and fluorogenic sensor for citrate ion","volume":"174","author":"Liu","year":"2012","journal-title":"Sens. Actuators B"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"237","DOI":"10.1002\/(SICI)1097-0045(19990215)38:3<237::AID-PROS8>3.0.CO;2-O","article-title":"Citrate in the diagnosis of prostate cancer","volume":"38","author":"Costello","year":"1999","journal-title":"Prostate"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"801","DOI":"10.1002\/elan.1140040810","article-title":"New amperometric biosensor for citrate with mercury film electrode","volume":"4","author":"Hikima","year":"1992","journal-title":"Electroanalysis"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"548","DOI":"10.1016\/j.foodcont.2008.08.004","article-title":"Rapid method for the determination of organic acids in wine by capillary electrophoresis with indirect UV detection","volume":"20","author":"Peres","year":"2009","journal-title":"Food Control"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"232","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00332259","article-title":"Determinations of citric acid by differential pulse polarography with immobilized enzymes","volume":"336","author":"Hasebe","year":"1990","journal-title":"Fresenius J. Anal. Chem."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"331","DOI":"10.1007\/BF02672439","article-title":"Determination of citric acid and its decomposed products in edible oils by gas liquid chromatography","volume":"54","author":"Miyakoshi","year":"1977","journal-title":"J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"187","DOI":"10.1016\/j.microc.2008.10.008","article-title":"HPLC determination of organic acids, sugars, phenolic compositions and antioxidant capacity of orange juice and orange wine made from a turkish cv. Kozan","volume":"91","author":"Kelebek","year":"2009","journal-title":"Microchem. J."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"79","DOI":"10.1016\/j.aca.2013.02.040","article-title":"Colorimetric and fluorescent chemosensor for citrate based on a rhodamine and Pb2+ complex in aqueous solution","volume":"774","author":"Li","year":"2013","journal-title":"Anal. Chim. Acta"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"21","DOI":"10.1016\/j.talanta.2015.03.054","article-title":"High-throughput and rapid fluorescent visualization sensor of urinary citrate by CdTe quantum dots","volume":"141","author":"Zhuo","year":"2015","journal-title":"Talanta"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1696","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.analchem.5b03715","article-title":"Diketopyrrolopyrrole-based ratiometric\/turn-on fluorescent chemosensors for citrate detection in the near-infrared region by an aggregation-induced emission mechanism","volume":"88","author":"Hang","year":"2016","journal-title":"Anal. Chem."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1686","DOI":"10.1002\/pola.28024","article-title":"Conjugated polymer nanoparticles with aggregation induced emission characteristics for intracellular Fe3+ sensing","volume":"54","author":"Yang","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Polym. Sci. Part A: Polym. Chem."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7159","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.chemrev.6b00075","article-title":"Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4)-based photocatalysts for artificial photosynthesis and environmental remediation: Are we a step closer to achieving sustainability?","volume":"116","author":"Ong","year":"2016","journal-title":"Chem. Rev."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5376","DOI":"10.1002\/smll.201602056","article-title":"Graphitic carbon nitride materials: Sensing, imaging and therapy","volume":"12","author":"Dong","year":"2016","journal-title":"Small"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3942","DOI":"10.1039\/c2cc17909a","article-title":"A fluorescent sensor for selective detection of cyanide using mesoporous graphitic carbon(IV) nitride","volume":"48","author":"Lee","year":"2012","journal-title":"Chem. Commun."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4438","DOI":"10.1002\/adma.201400111","article-title":"Single-layered graphitic-C3N4 quantum dots for two-photon fluorescence imaging of cellular nucleus","volume":"26","author":"Zhang","year":"2014","journal-title":"Adv. Mater."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"13289","DOI":"10.1021\/jacs.6b07272","article-title":"Constructing solid-gas-interfacial fnton reaction over alkalinized-C3N4 photocatalyst to achieve apparent quantum yield of 49% at 420 nm","volume":"138","author":"Li","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Am. Chem. Soc."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"14081","DOI":"10.1039\/C5TA02156A","article-title":"Soft and hard templating of graphitic carbon nitride","volume":"3","author":"Yang","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Mater. Chem. A"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15415","DOI":"10.1039\/C4CC06659F","article-title":"Graphitic carbon nitride solid nanofilms for selective and recyclable sensing of Cu2+ and Ag+ in water and serum","volume":"50","author":"Huang","year":"2014","journal-title":"Chem. Commun."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.1007\/s40820-017-0148-2","article-title":"Recent advances of graphitic carbon nitride-based structures and applications in catalyst, sensing, imaging, and leds","volume":"9","author":"Wang","year":"2017","journal-title":"Nano-Micro Lett."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4157","DOI":"10.1039\/c3nr06744k","article-title":"Polymer nanodots of graphitic carbon nitride as effective fluorescent probes for the detection of Fe3+ and Cu2+ ions","volume":"6","author":"Zhang","year":"2014","journal-title":"Nanoscale"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3426","DOI":"10.1021\/ac500336f","article-title":"Turn-on fluorescence sensor for intracellular imaging of glutathione using g-C3N4 nanosheet\u2014MnO2 sandwich nanocomposite","volume":"86","author":"Zhang","year":"2014","journal-title":"Anal. Chem."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"453","DOI":"10.1016\/j.snb.2015.04.075","article-title":"Ultrathin graphitic C3N4 nanofibers: Hydrolysis-driven top-down rapid synthesis and application as a novel fluorosensor for rapid, sensitive, and selective detection of Fe3+","volume":"216","author":"Tian","year":"2015","journal-title":"Sens. Actuators B"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9706","DOI":"10.1002\/anie.201004975","article-title":"Cubic mesoporous graphitic carbon(IV) nitride: An all-in-one chemosensor for selective optical sensing of metal ions","volume":"49","author":"Lee","year":"2010","journal-title":"Angew. Chem. Int. Ed."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5595","DOI":"10.1021\/ac400924j","article-title":"Ultrathin graphitic carbon nitride nanosheet: A highly efficient fluorosensor for rapid, ultrasensitive detection of Cu2+","volume":"85","author":"Tian","year":"2013","journal-title":"Anal. Chem."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3119","DOI":"10.1139\/v74-458","article-title":"Composition and stability of iron and copper citrate complexes in aqueous solution","volume":"52","author":"Field","year":"1974","journal-title":"Can. J. Chem."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"147","DOI":"10.1016\/S0020-1693(00)84183-3","article-title":"Solution studies of systems with polynuclear complex formation. 1. The copper(II) citrate system","volume":"46","author":"Still","year":"1980","journal-title":"Inorg. Chim. Acta"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3749","DOI":"10.1021\/ja01135a010","article-title":"Citrate complexes of copper in acid solutions","volume":"74","author":"Parry","year":"1952","journal-title":"J. Am. Chem. Soc."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1943","DOI":"10.1038\/srep01943","article-title":"Synthesis and luminescence mechanism of multicolor-emitting g-C3N4 nanopowders by low temperature thermal condensation of melamine","volume":"3","author":"Zhang","year":"2013","journal-title":"Sci. Rep."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"18","DOI":"10.1021\/ja308249k","article-title":"Enhanced photoresponsive ultrathin graphitic-phase C3N4 nanosheets for bioimaging","volume":"135","author":"Zhang","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Am. Chem. Soc."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"161","DOI":"10.1007\/s00339-011-6471-4","article-title":"Synthesis and characterization of nitrogen-rich carbon nitride nanobelts by pyrolysis of melamine","volume":"105","author":"Yang","year":"2011","journal-title":"Appl. Phys. A Mater. Sci. Process."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"10916","DOI":"10.1039\/C5TC02584B","article-title":"Synthesis of highly fluorescent P,O-g-C3N4 nanodots for the label-free detection of Cu2+ and acetylcholinesterase activity","volume":"3","author":"Rong","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Mater. Chem. C"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2148","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ssc.2010.09.007","article-title":"Synthesis and characterization of crystalline carbon nitride nanowires","volume":"150","author":"Bai","year":"2010","journal-title":"Solid State Commun."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1904","DOI":"10.1016\/S0925-9635(00)00345-9","article-title":"X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reference data for identification of the C3N4 phase in carbon-nitrogen films","volume":"9","author":"Dementjev","year":"2000","journal-title":"Diam. Relat. Mater."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4255","DOI":"10.1016\/j.matlet.2007.01.076","article-title":"Synthesis and characterization of C3N4 nanowires and pseudocubic C3N4 polycrystalline nanoparticles","volume":"61","author":"Lu","year":"2007","journal-title":"Mater. Lett."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"11876","DOI":"10.1021\/ac403517u","article-title":"Turn-on persistent luminescence probe based on graphitic carbon nitride for imaging detection of biothiols in biological fluids","volume":"85","author":"Tang","year":"2013","journal-title":"Anal. Chem."},{"key":"ref_41","first-page":"12","article-title":"FTIR, FT raman spectra and molecular structural confirmation of isoniazid","volume":"47","author":"Gunasekaran","year":"2009","journal-title":"Indian J. Pure Appl. Phys."},{"key":"ref_42","first-page":"581","article-title":"Vibrational spectra and normal coordinate analysis of flucytosine","volume":"44","author":"Gunasekaran","year":"2006","journal-title":"Indian J. Pure Appl. Phys."},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Farrukh, M.A. (2012). The use of the spectrometric technique FTIR-ATR to examine the polymers surface. Advances Aspects Spectroscopy, InTech.","DOI":"10.5772\/2757"},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"89","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bios.2014.03.023","article-title":"Graphite-like carbon nitrides as peroxidase mimetics and their applications to glucose detection","volume":"59","author":"Lin","year":"2014","journal-title":"Biosens. Bioelectron."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"21832","DOI":"10.1039\/c2jm35501a","article-title":"Facile bulk production of highly blue fluorescent graphitic carbon nitride quantum dots and their application as highly selective and sensitive sensors for the detection of mercuric and iodide ions in aqueous media","volume":"22","author":"Barman","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Mater. Chem."},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Yang, D., Dai, C., Hu, Y., Liu, S., Weng, L., Luo, Z., Cheng, Y., and Wang, L. (2017). A new polymer-based fluorescent chemosensor incorporating propane-1,3-dione and 2,5-diethynylbenzene moieties for detection of copper(II) and iron(III). Polymers, 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/polym9070267"},{"key":"ref_47","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"24","DOI":"10.1039\/C6QM00195E","article-title":"Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide nanomaterials for biosensing applications","volume":"1","author":"Hu","year":"2016","journal-title":"Mater. Chem. Front."},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"90","DOI":"10.1016\/j.snb.2017.12.047","article-title":"Metal free bioimaging reagent for intracellular citrate in prostate cancer cells using aryl boronate derivative","volume":"259","author":"Rajalakshmi","year":"2018","journal-title":"Sens. Actuators B"},{"key":"ref_49","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3141","DOI":"10.1039\/b502553b","article-title":"A pH-insensitive, ratiometric chemosensor for citrate using europium luminescence","volume":"25","author":"Parker","year":"2005","journal-title":"Chem. Commun."},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"204","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bios.2014.10.043","article-title":"Photoluminescent sensing for acidic amino acids based on the disruption of graphene quantum dots\/europium ions aggregates","volume":"65","author":"Zhang","year":"2015","journal-title":"Biosens. Bioelectron."}],"container-title":["Sensors"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1424-8220\/18\/4\/1163\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T15:00:17Z","timestamp":1760194817000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1424-8220\/18\/4\/1163"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2018,4,11]]},"references-count":50,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2018,4]]}},"alternative-id":["s18041163"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/s18041163","relation":{},"ISSN":["1424-8220"],"issn-type":[{"type":"electronic","value":"1424-8220"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2018,4,11]]}}}