Fluorescent Polymeric Materials for Bacterial Interaction and Detection

ABSTRACT Bacteria play a crucial role in maintaining human health, particularly within the microbiome of the gastrointestinal tract and skin. However, pathogenic species such as Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus , and Salmonella can disrupt this balance, leading to severe infections and contributing to the global rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Rapid and species‐selective bacterial detection is therefore critical for effective diagnosis and control of healthcare infections. Fluorescence‐based sensing has emerged as a promising strategy for rapid, sensitive, and cost‐effective detection of bacterial species. Polymer‐based materials are particularly interesting due to their tunable chemistry, structural versatility, and enhanced stability. By integrating fluorophores with functional polymer backbones, these systems can interact selectively with bacterial surfaces through electrostatic, hydrophobic, and directed hydrogen‐bonding interactions, enabling non‐disruptive interactions and detection. This review highlights advances in fluorescent polymeric materials for bacterial sensing, classifying systems by polymer type and outlining design strategies that control selectivity, sensitivity, and photophysical behavior. Emphasis is placed on fully synthetic polymers that achieve bacterial recognition without biological components, offering new pathways toward non‐toxic, responsive bacterial sensors.