Water Stable Zn(II) Metal-Organic Framework as a Selective and Sensitive Luminescent Probe for Fe(III) and Chromate...

Sensing and monitoring toxic contaminants like Fe³⁺, CrO₄^2-, and Cr₂O₇^2- ions in water is very important due to their harmful effects on biological and environmental systems. Enhanced hydrolytic stability, sensitivity, and selectivity, in addition to their excellent luminescence properties, are important attributes of metal-organic framework (MOF)-based sensors for sensing applications. In this work, the water stable Zn-MOF [Zn₂(tpeb)(bpdc)₂] (where tpeb = 1,3,5-tri-4-pyridyl-1,2-ethenylbenzene and bpdc = biphenyl-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid) was synthesized and characterized. The framework retains its crystallinity and structural integrity in harsh acidic and basic conditions (pH 4-11). Most interestingly, the Zn-MOF demonstrates a strong blue luminescence in water that can be quenched selectively only by contaminants like Fe³⁺, CrO₄^2-, and Cr₂O₇^2- ions. Higher K_sv values and low detection limits in selective luminescence quenching confirm the superior sensing performance, which is comparable to those of contemporary materials. Furthermore, in all cases, quenching efficiency remains unaltered in the presence of interfering ions, even after the compound is used in multiple cycles, which makes this MOF an attractive, reliable, and recyclable luminescent sensor material. The luminescence quenching mechanism is based on the competitive absorption and weak interactions. It is worth noting that most of the reported MOF-based sensors used for the separate sensing of Fe(III) and chromate ions are used in organic media due to their poor hydrolytic stabilities. Reports on the dual sensing of Fe(III) and chromate ions, which are also in aqueous media, are rare. Based on these results, Zn-MOF can be considered as a suitable candidate for advanced practical applications for the efficient sensing of Fe(III) and chromate ions in water.