Abstract: Provided are fluorescent microparticles and/or nanoparticles that have a polymeric matrix and at least one porphyrinic macrocycle associated therewith. The porphyrinic macrocycles associated with the presently disclosed fluorescent microparticles and/or nanoparticles are in some embodiments selected from the group consisting of porphyrins (including 17,18-didehydrophorbines), chlorins (including phorbines), bacteriochlorins (including bacteriophorbins), and isobacteriochlorins (including isobacteriochlorins containing a fused “E” ring). In some embodiments, the porphyrinic macrocycles have structures selected from Formulas I and H.