Lifetime-based sensing: influence of the microenvironment.

The influence of the microenvironment on the fluorescence behavior of indicator molecules is investigated. A model is developed to describe the fluorescence decay of indicator molecules in a nonuniform medium. Its consequences for fluorescence lifetime-based chemical sensors are discussed and verified in two examples, namely, a pH sensor using a pyrene compound in a hydrogel and a ruthenium complex for oxygen sensing embedded in a polystyrene membrane.