CHAPTER 3: Metal Ion Sensing for Biomedical Uses

Metal ions are essential for sustaining life. However, abnormal levels are related to many severe human illness including diabetes, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Luminescent molecules that are responsive to metal ions designed with the appropriate selectivity and sensitivity provide an invaluable method for monitoring the physiological and pathological consequences. Potential future applications of molecular systems able to perform multi-analyte sensing via ‘lab-on-a-molecule’ systems for medical and environmental diagnostics are also highlighted. This chapter provides a brief survey of the currently available luminescent molecules for detecting minerals.