Research progress of fluorescent probes about accurate inspection of phosphates for food safety and biological evaluation

• Systematic Classification and Mechanistic Analysis of Phosphate Detection Probes; • In-Depth Analysis of Key Performance Metrics in Fluorescent Probes; • Future Perspectives on Phosphate Ion Detection. Phosphate ions, the primary existence of phosphorus in nature, play a vital role in various aspects of human life. In the human body, phosphate ions exist in forms such as phospholipids, nucleotides and phosphates. However, excessively high concentrations of phosphate can pose serious risks to human health. Therefore, the development of reliable and sensitive fluorescent detection techniques for phosphate ions is crucial for environmental monitoring, human health, and public hygiene. This review provides a concise overview of the current state of fluorescent detection technologies, with a focus on the principles of detection, underlying mechanisms, and recent advancements. The primary aim of this review is to comprehensively discuss recent progress in the design and synthesis of fluorescent probes for phosphate ions based on organic small molecules, nanoparticles, and metal-organic polymers, as well as their successful applications across various fields. Furthermore, it explores future prospects in the design and investigation of such probes, which may contribute to the development of novel fluorescent sensors for phosphate ions. Figures was created with BioRender.com