Fabrication of biocompatible Zn-cysteine nanowires and their application in selective fluorescence detection of Cu ²⁺

Novel Zn-cysteine complex nanowires were successfully fabricated by a facile self-assembly method at room temperature. They were innovatively used as fluorescence probes for the detecting of Cu ²⁺, one of the most important physiological ions related with the neurobiology and general cell biology. A high fluorescence response was obtained, with a detecting limit of 2.1 × 10 ^-6 mol/L. This work offers a simple and quick strategy to fabricate analytic tools. As-synthesized probes have the advantages of high sensitivity, selectivity and good biocompatibility. They show promising applications as biological probes and assembled ion responsive devices.