Sensing of bacterial endotoxin in aqueous solution by supramolecular assembly of pyrene derivative

N,N-Dimethyl-N-(pyrenyl-1-methyl) dodecan-1-ammonium has been designed and applied as a fluorescent probe for sensing bacterial endotoxin. Upon assembly with bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide) in aqueous solution, the probe exhibits a ratiometric and sensitive fluorescence response with a low detection limit (100 nM). Moreover, the probe shows high selectivity for bacterial endotoxin over other related biological species.