Nicotine is a highly addictive and toxic compound found in tobacco products. Exposure to nicotine can promote the development of cancer, neurological disorders, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Traditional detection methods such as HPLC and GC-MS, while effective, are often expensive, complex, and require skilled operators. There is a need for more efficient, cost-effective, selective, and portable methods for nicotine monitoring in both clinical and commercial settings.
Our researchers developed BiP-Am, a novel amide-based molecular cage designed for the highly selective and ultra-sensitive detection of nicotine in aqueous environments. BiP-Am features multiple amide groups and aromatic moieties that enable strong interactions with nicotine molecules via hydrogen bonding and π–π stacking. This interaction triggers a measurable fluorescence quenching effect, forming the basis of a simple, rapid, and highly effective sensing mechanism. Fluorescence titration experiments determined a nicotine detection limit of 0.4 nM, thus outperforming the most existing fluorescence-based sensors. Testing in real-world samples, including human urine and cigarette extracts, showed accurate nicotine detection with minimal sample preparation and high reproducibility. BiP-Am is an ideal candidate for commercialization in healthcare diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and consumer product testing.
Nicotine detection in real-world samples.