Pyrene bichromophores supported on polymer beads: A new library of fluorescent materials for sensing heavy metals in water

A new combinatorial library of fluorescent materials was prepared by covalent anchoring of 1-pyrene and 1-methylpyrene bichromophores to Merrifield and Wang resins functionalized with alkyl diamine spacers and its sensing properties toward Pb2+, Cd2+ and Hg2+ were evaluated in water. It was found that the Wang resin modified with ethane-1,2-diamine as spacer and functionalized with the 1-pyrene bichromophore sense selectively Pb2+ with an enhancement of fluorescence intensity. The detection limit and sorption properties were determined to be 29.6 µM and 80.3%, respectively.

Keywords: pyrene bichromophores, fluorescent probe, chemical sensors, heavy metals.