A naphthalimide functionalized chitosan-based fluorescent probe for specific detection and efficient adsorption of...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Copper ions (Cu2+) are abundant and pose significant environmental and health risks due to industrial use.
• Developing sensitive and selective methods for Cu2+ detection and removal is crucial for environmental protection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare a chitosan-based fluorescent probe (CTS-NA-HY) for detecting and adsorbing Cu2+.
• To evaluate the probe's performance, including selectivity, detection limit, and pH stability.
• To investigate the mechanism of Cu2+ detection and the probe's application in environmental samples.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of chitosan-based fluorescent probe CTS-NA-HY.
• Fluorescence spectroscopy for Cu2+ detection (turn-off response).
• Characterization using Job's plot, XPS, FT-IR, and 1H NMR.
• Adsorption studies using CTS-NA-HY hydrogel.

Main Results:

• CTS-NA-HY demonstrated a specific "turn off" fluorescence response to Cu2+, changing from yellow to colorless.
• The probe exhibited excellent selectivity, anti-interference, a low detection limit (29 nM), and a wide pH range (4-9).
• The probe successfully detected Cu2+ in environmental water and soil samples, and the hydrogel effectively removed Cu2+ from aqueous solutions.

Conclusions:

• The developed CTS-NA-HY probe is a promising tool for sensitive and selective detection of Cu2+.
• CTS-NA-HY-based hydrogels offer an effective method for removing Cu2+ from contaminated water.
• This research provides a novel material for environmental remediation and monitoring of copper pollution.