A 3D Tb(iii)-based metal–organic framework has been synthesized as a luminescent sensor for the selective and reversible detection of Fe3+ and ascorbic acid in water. Such sensing event showed good potential in biologically relevant applications.

We herein report an efficient Ag+ and S2− dual sensing scenario by a three-dimensional Cu-based metal–organic framework shielded with a 5-carboxytetramethylrhodamine-labeled C-rich single-stranded DNA as a fluorescent probe.