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Updated: Sep 10, 2025
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Author Spotlight: Functionalizing Metal-Organic Frameworks: Advancements, Challenges, and the Power of Post-Synthetic Ligand Exchange
Published on: June 23, 2023
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Thermochemical Properties of a Water-Soluble Zr(IV)-Flavonolate Complex for Fluoride Sensing
Jorge L Martinez1, Darrell D Mayberry1, Alexander S Phearman2
1National Security Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd., P.O. Box 999, Richland, Washington 99354, United States.
Inorganic Chemistry
|August 21, 2025
Summary
A new fluorescent sensor based on a zirconium-flavonolate complex offers sensitive and selective detection of fluoride in water. This fieldable sensor, developed as paper-based strips, provides a cost-effective alternative to traditional methods for environmental monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Environmental Science
- Materials Science
Background:
- Fluoride detection is crucial for environmental and biological monitoring.
- Current methods often require expensive equipment, limiting field applications.
- There is a need for simple, cost-effective, and fieldable fluoride sensors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize a novel zirconium-flavonolate complex for fluoride sensing.
- To evaluate the sensor's performance in aqueous solutions.
- To develop a paper-based platform for qualitative fluoride detection.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis and characterization of the dimethylammonium salt of the (EDTA)Zr(Flv) complex.
- Fluorometric analysis of fluoride in aqueous buffer solutions.
- Development and testing of paper-based sensing strips.
Main Results:
- The synthesized complex, [(EDTA)Zr(Flv)][NMe2H2], exhibits intense blue fluorescence.
- The fluorescence is quenched by fluoride ions with high sensitivity (LOD = 20.9 nM).
- Paper-based strips demonstrated good selectivity and reduced interference for qualitative fluoride sensing.
Conclusions:
- The novel zirconium-flavonolate complex is effective for sensitive aqueous fluoride sensing.
- Paper-based sensor strips offer a practical and cost-efficient approach for fluoride detection.
- This sensor technology has potential for fieldable environmental monitoring applications.
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