A simple visual sensor with the potential for determining the concentration of fluoride in water at environmentally significant levels.

We have developed a simple and robust fluorescence based boronic-acid molecular sensor for determining the concentration of fluoride in water at environmentally significant levels. The simplicity of the method and the ability to measure fluoride in water between 0.1 and 1.5 ppm is particularly noteworthy given the WHO requirements for detecting levels of fluoride in drinking water below 1.5 ppm.