A sensitive and selective fluorescence sensor for the detection of arsenic(III) in organic media.

Arsenic contamination is a leading environmental problem. As such, levels of this toxic metalloid must be constantly monitored by reliable and low-cost methodologies. Because the currently accepted upper limit for arsenic in water is 10 ppb, very sensitive and selective detection strategies must be developed. Herein we describe the synthesis and characterization of a fluorescent chemical probe, namely, ArsenoFluor1, which is the first example of a chemosensor for As(3+) detection in organic solvents at 298 K. AF1 exhibits a 25-fold fluorescence increase in the presence of As(3+) at λ(em) = 496 nm in THF, which is selective for As(3+) over other biologically relevant ions (such as Na(+), Mg(2+), Fe(2+), and Zn(2+)) and displays a sub-ppb detection limit.