Molecularly Imprinted Cellulose Sensor Strips for Selective Determination of Phenols in Aqueous Environment

The surrounding environment is largely contaminated with phenols, and consequently qualitative and quantitative determination of phenols in water is of interest. In the current report, a low cost, naked-eye, portable and disposable cellulosic strips-based sensor was fabricated to detect phenols in aqueous media. The cellulosic filter paper was molecularly imprinted with Fe(III) to prepare strips sensor of Fe(III)-imprinted filter paper. The prepared strips were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The sensitivity performance of Fe(III)-imprinted filter paper strips was monitored for a series of phenolic compounds. The colorimetric detection of gallic acid was selectively studied herein due to its greatest sensibility. The chromogenic Fe(III)-imprinted filter paper strips provided an instant color shift from yellow to purple upon binding to Gallic acid in an aqueous environment, as visually noted and instrumentally detected by absorption spectral and coloration measurements. The change in color of strips attributing to sensing of Gallic acid was readout at quite low limit (0.1 ppb). This sensor performance was rationalized on formation of coordination complex between phenol and Fe +3 . The facile fabricated molecularly imprintedfilter paper strips could be easily used as sensor in rapid potential for colorimetric detection of phenols.