A single-fluorophore-based self-calibrating supramolecular sensor for the fast and ratiometric detection of permethrin

Permethrin (PMT) is a broad-spectrum synthetic pyrethroid insecticide widely used for treatment of insects in agriculture. Yet the massive use of PMT comes at the cost of its residue ubiquitous in the environment thereby causing a significant risk to human health. Therefore, development of an analytical method for accurate detection of PMT at the point-of-care is of great importance. In this study, we report a novel single-fluorophore-based supramolecular sensor with dual emissions as ratiometric output signals, successfully realizing the fast detection of PMT with the self-calibrating feature. This sensor exhibited several advantages for PMT detection, such as fast response, high sensitivity, high specificity, and excellent anti-interference property. Notably, this sensor could be used for on-site monitoring of PMT residues on the food surface without the help of complicated testing facilities. To our best knowledge, this is the first promising fluorescent method for the fast and ratiometric determination of PMT.