An efficient water-soluble fluorescent chemosensor based on furan Schiff base functionalized PEG for the sensitive detection of Al 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. An efficient reversible fluorescent chemosensor, PEGFB, based on polyethylene glycol bearing a furan Schiff base unit has been successfully developed to sensitively detect Al 3+ in pure aqueous solution.