Interfacial charge-transfer (ICT) transitions between inorganic semiconductors and organic compounds provide a method for facile and quick visible-light sensing of colorless organic molecules such as biologically important molecules. Here, we demonstrate facile, quick, and selective visible-light sensing of phenol-containing drug molecules 4-acetamidophenol called acetaminophen and 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol called biosol by use of la transitions. The chemical adsorption of these phenol containing drug molecules on TiO2 nanoparticles via the hydroxy group induces organic-to-TiO2 ICT transitions in the visible region. The ICT band is shifted depending on the substituents in the phenyl derivatives, allow the selective visible-light sensing of them. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.