A water-soluble carboxylic-functionalized chemosensor for detecting Al(3+) in aqueous media and living cells: Experimental and theoretical studies

Biosens Bioelectron. 2015 Jul 15:69:226-9. doi: 10.1016/j.bios.2015.02.038. Epub 2015 Feb 26.

Abstract

A new water-soluble carboxylic-functionalized chemosensor 1 was designed and synthesized. 1 exhibited the selective fluorescence enhancement toward aluminum ions with a 1:1 complexation stoichiometry in aqueous solution. The detection limit (24nM) of 1 for Al(3+) is about two order lower than the WHO guideline (7.41μM) for the drinking water. 1 was successfully applied to living cells and real samples for detecting Al(3+). Moreover, the sensing mechanism originated from the inhibited excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process and the chelation-enhanced fluorescence (CHEF) effect, as supported by theoretical calculations.

Keywords: Aluminum; Bio-imaging; Carboxylic-functionalized; Theoretical calculations; Water-soluble.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aluminum / analysis*
  • Carboxylic Acids / chemistry
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Computer Simulation
  • Computer-Aided Design
  • Drinking Water / analysis*
  • Drinking Water / chemistry
  • Environmental Monitoring / instrumentation
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Fibroblasts / chemistry*
  • Fluorometry / instrumentation*
  • Humans
  • Models, Chemical
  • Solubility
  • Water / chemistry*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / analysis*

Substances

  • Carboxylic Acids
  • Drinking Water
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Water
  • Aluminum