Innovative Fe(IV)-Triggered Chemiluminescence Assay for Rapid and Selective Detection of Total Phenolic Content

Total phenolic content reflecting the overall concentration of phenolics in water is a valuable indicator for evaluating water quality. However, current total phenolic content quantification technologies are unsatisfactory due to their complexity, time-consuming nature, limited reliability, and low selectivity. To overcome these problems, we utilized the high reactivity and selectivity of tetravalent iron (Fe(IV)) toward phenolics to develop a surrogate method for total phenolic content based on the quenching effect of phenolics on the chemiluminescence (CL) produced during the oxidation of naproxen (NAP) by Fe(IV) in the Fe(II)-activated periodate (Fe(II)/PI) process. Experimental results showed a strong linear relationship between the chemiluminescence quenching capacity (CLQC) values and total phenolic content in the Fe(II)/PI-NAP process. The high reactivity and superior selectivity of Fe(IV) toward phenolics enable rapid, highly sensitive, and robust anti-interference quantification of total phenolic content using the developed CL method. The limit of quantitation and limit of detection of the developed CL method for total phenolics determination were 1.34 and 0.40 μM, respectively, expressed as phenol equivalents. Finally, we validated the feasibility of using the CLQC value as a surrogate indicator for total phenolic content in various real water samples. This work introduces a novel method for quantifying total phenolic content by determining the CLQC value of water samples using the Fe(II)/PI-NAP process, offering a promising alternative for controlling the discharge of phenolics.