An efficient water-soluble fluorescent chemosensor based on furan Schiff base functionalized PEG for the sensitive detection of Al 3+ in pure aqueous solution

Furan Schiff base functionalized PEG (PEGFB) was synthesized as an excellent reversible fluorescent chemosensor for the sensitive detection of Al 3+ in 100% aqueous solution. The non-fluorescent PEGFB displayed high selectivity towards Al 3+ over other coexistent metal ions, accompanied by a visual fluorescence change from colorless to bright cyan. The detection limit of PEGFB towards Al 3+ was determined to be 7.90 × 10 −9 M. PEGFB could be utilized to detect Al 3+ in a relatively wide pH range from 5 to 9. The reversible fluorescence response of PEGFB upon the addition of Al 3+ and EDTA was successfully used to construct an INHIBIT molecular logic gate. Furthermore, test strips coated with PEGFB could be applied for the convenient and visual sensing of Al 3+ in real water samples.