Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 24, 2025
11:56
A Rapid and Specific Microplate Assay for the Determination of Intra- and Extracellular Ascorbate in Cultured Cells
Published on: April 11, 2014
13.6K
Fluorescent perylene derivative functionalized titanium oxide gel for sensitive and portable ascorbic acid detection
Binbin Zhang1, Wenxia Liu1, Yihao Liu1
1Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Materials Genome Institute, Shanghai University Shanghai 200444 China.
RSC Advances
|May 9, 2022
Summary
A novel titanium oxide (TiO) gel sensor functionalized with perylene diimide (PI) was developed for detecting ascorbic acid (AA). This sensor shows visual color and fluorescence changes for sensitive and selective AA detection in real samples.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Analytical Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Ascorbic acid (AA) is a vital biomolecule with numerous health implications.
- Accurate and sensitive detection of AA is crucial for various applications, including food analysis and clinical diagnostics.
- Existing AA detection methods often require complex instrumentation or lack portability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel, portable, and sensitive sensor for the detection of ascorbic acid (AA).
- To synthesize and characterize a functionalized titanium oxide (TiO) gel using a perylene diimide (PI) derivative as a soft dopant.
- To evaluate the sensor's performance, including selectivity, sensitivity, stability, and reproducibility.
Main Methods:
- A perylene diimide (PI) derivative with carboxylic groups was synthesized and used to functionalize TiO nanoparticles via a solvothermal reaction, creating a PI-TiO composite.
- The PI-TiO composite was formed into a gel, which was then fabricated into thin films for sensor applications.
- The sensor's response to ascorbic acid was investigated through visual colorimetric changes and fluorescence spectroscopy.
Main Results:
- The PI-TiO composite exhibited distinct spectral properties dependent on reaction time.
- The developed gel sensor demonstrated a strong chelating affinity for ascorbic acid.
- The sensor displayed a visible color change and significant fluorescence quenching upon interaction with AA, indicating selective and sensitive detection.
- The gel films showed good stability and reproducibility in detecting AA in real samples.
Conclusions:
- The PI-TiO gel sensor offers a simple, portable, and effective platform for the selective and sensitive detection of ascorbic acid.
- The sensor's visual and fluorescence readouts facilitate easy and rapid AA quantification.
- This material shows promise for practical applications in areas requiring on-site AA analysis.
