Reversible Response of Luminescent Terbium(III)–Nanocellulose Hydrogels to Anions for Latent Fingerprint Detection and Encryption

Abstract Fingerprint fluorescence imaging has become one of the most prominent technologies in the field of forensic medicine, but it seldom considers the security protection of detection information, which is of great importance in modern society. Herein we demonstrate that luminescent Tb III –carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) complex binding aptamer hydrogels that are reversibly responsive to ClO − /SCN − can be used for the selective detection, protection, and storage of fingerprint information. The imaging information of the fingerprint can be quenched and recovered by ClO − /SCN − regulation, respectively, resulting in reversible on/off conversion of the luminescence signals for the encryption and decryption of multiple levels of information. The present study opens new avenues for multilevel imaging, data recording, and security protection of fingerprint information with tunable fluorescent hydrogels.