Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 12, 2026
07:58
A Polyaniline-based Sensor of Nucleic Acids
Published on: November 1, 2016
8.5K
An overwhelmingly selective colorimetric sensor for Ag(+) using a simple modified polyacrylonitrile fiber.
Xiaoli Xing1, Huixiao Yang1, Minli Tao1
1Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300072, China.
Journal of Hazardous Materials
|May 14, 2015
Summary
A new colorimetric sensor made from polyacrylonitrile fiber can detect silver ions (Ag+) in water. This highly selective and sensitive sensor shows a distinct color change, offering rapid detection for environmental monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Analytical Chemistry
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Accurate detection of silver ions (Ag+) is crucial for environmental monitoring and water quality assessment.
- Existing methods for Ag+ detection can be complex, time-consuming, or lack selectivity.
- Development of rapid, selective, and sensitive colorimetric sensors is highly desirable.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize a novel carboxymethyl-dithiocarbamate immobilized polyacrylonitrile fiber colorimetric sensor for Ag+ detection.
- To evaluate the sensor's selectivity, sensitivity, response time, and detection limit for Ag+ in aqueous solutions.
- To investigate the interaction mechanism between the sensor and Ag+ using computational methods.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of carboxymethyl-dithiocarbamate immobilized polyacrylonitrile fiber.
- Colorimetric detection of Ag+ in aqueous solutions across a wide pH range (2-12).
- Testing selectivity against various interfering metal ions (Mg2+, Al3+, Ca2+, Cr3+, Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Hg2+, Pb2+).
- Determination of response time and visual limit of detection.
- Density functional theory (DFT) calculations to elucidate the complexation mechanism.
Main Results:
- The synthesized fiber sensor exhibited excellent selectivity and sensitivity for Ag+.
- A distinct color change from light pink to red-brown was observed upon Ag+ binding.
- The sensor demonstrated effective Ag+ detection in the presence of multiple interfering ions.
- The sensor showed a rapid response time of 10 seconds and a low visual limit of detection (5.53×10^-12 mol/L).
- DFT analysis indicated a seven-membered ring complexation mechanism between the sensor and Ag+.
Conclusions:
- The developed polyacrylonitrile fiber colorimetric sensor is a highly effective tool for the selective and sensitive detection of Ag+.
- The sensor's rapid response, low detection limit, and wide pH applicability make it suitable for real-time environmental water monitoring.
- The findings provide insights into the design of advanced fiber-based colorimetric sensors for heavy metal ion detection.
