Fluorescent cyclodextrin immobilized on a cellulose membrane as a chemosensor system for detecting molecules.

Dansyl glutamate-modified cyclodextrin (DnsGlu-beta-CD) was prepared as a fluorescent host, which is capable of being immobilized on a cellulose membrane (DnsGlu-beta-CD-membrane). The fluorescence intensity of DnsGlu-beta-CD decreased with increasing concentration of guest molecules, indicating that the host changes the location of the dansyl group from inside to outside the cyclodextrin cavity upon guest accommodation. Similar guest-induced decrease in the fluorescence intensity was observed for DnsGlu-beta-CD immobilized to a cellulose membrane. This result demonstrates that the cellulose membrane may be used as a practical supporting material of various chromophore-modified cyclodextrins and that DnsGlu-beta-CD-membrane is useful as a novel disposable chemosensor for molecules.