Portable smartphone-integrated paper sensors for fluorescence detection of As(III) in groundwater

Arsenic contamination in groundwater is a supreme environmental problem, and levels of this toxic metalloid must be strictly monitored by a portable, sensitive and selective analytical device. Herein, a new system of smartphone-integrated paper sensors with Cu nanoclusters was established for the effective detection of As(III) in groundwater. For the integration system, the fluorescence emissive peak of Cu nanoclusters at 600 nm decreased gradually with increasing As(III) addition. Meanwhile, the fluorescence colour also changed from orange to colourless, and the detection limit was determined as 2.93 nM (0.22 ppb) in a wide detection range. The interfering ions also cannot influence the detection selectivity of As(III). Furthermore, the portable paper sensors based on Cu nanoclusters were fabricated for visual detection of As(III) in groundwater. The quantitative determination of As(III) in natural groundwater has also been accomplished with the aid of a common smartphone. Our work has provided a portable and on-site detection technique toward As(III) in groundwater with high sensitivity and selectivity.