Bright and Selective: A Dicarboxylate-Functionalized AIE Sensor for Th4+ in 100% Water with a Sub-ppm Level...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Thorium (Th) poses environmental and health risks due to its radioactivity.
• Existing sensors struggle with water solubility and interference in real-world samples.
• Accurate detection of thorium in water is crucial for environmental safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, highly sensitive fluorescent sensor for Th4+ detection.
• To overcome limitations of existing sensors in aqueous environments.
• To provide a field-applicable method for monitoring thorium in diverse water bodies.

Main Methods:

• Design and synthesis of a dicarboxylated tetraphenylethylene (TPE-DCA) probe.
• Utilizing a turn-on fluorescence mechanism triggered by Th4+ binding.
• Testing sensor performance in various water matrices (tap, lake, seawater) and against interfering ions.

Main Results:

• The TPE-DCA probe exhibits a 180-fold fluorescence enhancement upon binding Th4+.
• Achieved a low detection limit of 11 nM (3 ppb) in 100% aqueous media.
• Demonstrated negligible interference from common ions, including lanthanides and uranium.

Conclusions:

• The developed sensor provides a simple, sensitive, and robust method for thorium detection.
• The sensor is suitable for real-time monitoring of thorium in diverse environmental water samples.
• This approach advances the capability for assessing environmental thorium contamination.