Self-plasticized, lumogallion-based fluorescent optical sensor for the determination of aluminium (III) with ultra-low detection limits.

Aluminium-selective ion optical sensor based on covalently attached lumogallion methacrylate was synthesized and investigated in this study. Lumogallion based derivatives were copolymerized with various methacrylate monomers via a simple one step free radical polymerization to produce a "self-plasticized" copolymer. We demonstrate that covalently attached lumogallion moieties provide adequate functionality to the optical film thus achieving a very simple, one component sensing membrane. Fluorescence experiments demonstrated excellent sensitivity towards aluminium (III) ions with the detection limits found at 4.8 × 10-12 M. Furthermore, proposed sensor displays high selectivity towards aluminium over a number of biologically relevant cations. Moreover, the synthesized copolymer was used for the fabrication of nanoparticles that exhibit strong fluorescence upon contact with aluminium (III) ions. It is anticipated that lumogallion-based copolymers may form the basis for the development of highly sensitive and robust aluminium selective sensors capable of in situ measurements.