ABSTRACT
Combining the molecular wire effect with a biphasic sensing approach (analyte in water, sensor-dye in 2-methyltetrahydrofuran) and a microfluidic flow setup leads to the construction of a mercury-sensitive module. We so instantaneously detect Hg(2+) ions in water at a 500â µM concentration. The sensor, conjugated non-water soluble polymer 1 (XFPF), merely supports dibutylaniline substituents as binding units. Yet, selective and sensitive detection of Hg(2+) -ions is achieved in water. The enhancement in sensory response, when comparing the reference compound 2 to that of 1 in a biphasic system in a microfluidic chip is >10(3) . By manipulation of the structure of 1, further powerful sensor systems should be easily achieved.
Subject(s)
Aniline Compounds/chemistry , Ions/chemistry , Mercury/chemistry , Furans/chemistry , Ligands , Microfluidics/methods , Water/chemistryABSTRACT
We demonstrate that aldehyde-substituted donor-acceptor cruciforms [1,4-bis(arylethynyl)-2,5-distyrylbenzenes] are useful dosimeters for primary amines, primary diamines, and secondary amines. The 1,n-diamines are particularly reactive towards this dosimeter and can be detected in less than 100 ppm concentration. Using a single aldehyde-functionalized cruciform in seven different solvents allowed us to discern fourteen different amines by digital photography and statistical evaluation of the response patterns extracted as red, green, blue (RGB) values.
