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Updated: Jun 22, 2025

Hyperspectral Imaging as a Tool to Study Optical Anisotropy in Lanthanide-Based Molecular Single Crystals
Published on: April 14, 2020
The highly selective green colorimetric detection of yttrium ions in biological and environmental samples using the
Mahmood D Aljabri1, Salah M El-Bahy2, Refat El-Sayed1,3
1Department of Chemistry, University College in Al-Jamoum, Umm Al-Qura University 21955 Makkah Saudi Arabia.
Abstract:
A new eco-friendly method for creating an optical sensor membrane specifically designed to detect yttrium ions (Y3+) has been developed. The proposed sensor membrane is fabricated by integrating 4-(2-arsonophenylazo) salicylic acid (APASA), sodium tetraphenylborate (Na-TPB), and tri-n-octyl phosphine oxide (TOPO) into a plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) matrix with dimethyl sebacate (DMS) as the plasticizer. In this sensor membrane, APASA functions dually as an ionophore and a chromoionophore, while TOPO enhances the complexation of Y3+ ions with APASA. The composition of the sensor membrane has been meticulously optimized to achieve peak performance. The current membrane exhibits a linear dynamic range for Y3+ ions from 8.0 × 10-9 to 2.3 × 10-5 M, with detection and quantification limits of 2.3 × 10-9 and 7.7 × 10-9 M, respectively. No interference from other potentially interfering cations and anions was observed in the determination of Y3+. The membrane showed strong stability and a swift response time of about 3.0 minutes, with no signs of APASA leaching. This sensor is highly selective for Y3+ ions and can be renewed by treating it with 0.15 M HNO3. It has been effectively applied to measure Y3+ in nickel-based alloys, as well as in biological and environmental samples.
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