A Highly Selective Turn-on and Reversible Fluorescent Chemosensor for Al Detection Based on Novel Salicylidene Schiff Base-Terminated PEG in Pure Aqueous Solution.

The development of highly selective and sensitive chemosensors for Al detection in pure aqueous solution is still a significant challenge. In this work, a novel water-soluble polymer PEGBAB based on salicylidene Schiff base has been designed and synthesized as a turn-on fluorescent chemosensor for the detection of Al in 100% aqueous solution. PEGBAB exhibited high sensitivity and selectivity to Al over other competitive metal ions with the detection limit as low as 4.05 × 10 M. PEGBAB displayed high selectivity to Al in the pH range of 5⁻10. The fluorescence response of PEGBAB to Al was reversible in the presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). Based on the fluorescence response, an INHIBIT logic gate was constructed with Al and EDTA as two inputs. Moreover, test strips based on PEGBAB were fabricated facilely for convenient on-site detection of Al.