A carbon nanotube-based fluorescent chemosensor MWNTs-glycine-N-8-quinolylamide (MWNTs-GNQ) has been designed and synthesized. Steady-state fluorescence emission studies showed that this material displays high selectivity and sensitivity for the Cu2+ ion over other cations such as Zn2+, Cd2+, Mg2+, Ca2+, and Ni2+. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.