Non-conjugated fluorogenic amphiphilic polymer containing an anthracene chromophore exhibit fluorescence quenching in the presence of metalloproteins, although the binding of the polymer to proteins is not selective. The reason for this difference is that the possible conformational changes that a protein binding could bring about on a polymer do not affect the fluorescent properties of a pendant chromophore in non-conjugated polymers. This is in contrast to the non-specific binding and response found with conjugated polymers to proteins.