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Poly (ethylene glycol)-400 crowned silver nanoparticles: a rapid, efficient, selective, colorimetric nano-sensor for fluoride sensing in an aqueous medium

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Abstract

Development of rapid and effective analytical sensing strategy for fluoride ion in aqueous medium is an utmost need in view of naturally widely spread fluoride contaminated groundwater or drinking water which causes numerous adverse effects on human health. In prospect of the need, we have developed a simple synthetic route for poly(ethylene glycol)-400 crowned silver nanoparticles for sensitive sensing of fluoride ions in aqueous medium. The silver nanoparticles embedded with polyethylene glycol-400 (PEG-400) were synthesized as colloids by heating an aqueous solution of silver nitrate and PEG-400 with tri-sodium citrate. The effects of temperature, the concentration of silver nitrate and trisodium citrate were thoroughly investigated and optimized. The structure and morphology of prepared poly(ethylene glycol)-400 crowned silver nanoparticles as colloids was thoroughly examined by UV–visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The prepared poly(ethylene glycol)-400 crowned Ag Nps selectively detects fluoride ion in an aqueous medium at low concentration (0.098 mg/L) via the change in optical properties. The change in optical properties of Ag Nps was investigated with UV-visible and morphological changes were examined with field emission scanning electron microscope. The FESEM and UV-Visible analysis demonstrate that synthesized Ag nanoparticles are agglomerates with fluoride ions with immediate visual color change from yellow to colorless.

Graphic abstract

  • Polyethylene glycol crowned silver nanoparticles have designed and synthesized for selective fluoride sensing in aqueous medium.

  • Sensing occurrences explained with FSEM and UV-Visible spectroscopic techniques

  • NPs exhibits good limit of detection 0.0016 mg/L that is less than desirable limit 0.05 mg/L

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Acknowledgements

The financial support received from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research; India File no. 09/1264(0001)/19-EMR-I is gratefully acknowledged by Suman Swami. R. Shrivastava acknowledges DST, Rajasthan for financial assistance. The authors also sincerely acknowledge Central Facility Lab and SAIF Lab Manipal University Jaipur for their assistance in data acquisition.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Manipal University Jaipur, Jaipur (Rajasthan), VPO-Dehmi-Kalan, Off Jaipur-Ajmer Express Way, Jaipur, Rajasthan, 303007, India

    Suman Swami & Rahul Shrivastava

  2. Department of Chemistry, Malda College, Malda, West Bengal, 732101, India

    Arunava Agarwala

  3. Department of Chemistry, Shri Kalyan Government Girls College, Sikar, Rajasthan, 332001, India

    Vibha Shrivastava

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  1. Suman Swami
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  2. Arunava Agarwala
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  3. Vibha Shrivastava
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  4. Rahul Shrivastava
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rahul Shrivastava.

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Swami, S., Agarwala, A., Shrivastava, V. et al. Poly (ethylene glycol)-400 crowned silver nanoparticles: a rapid, efficient, selective, colorimetric nano-sensor for fluoride sensing in an aqueous medium. J Chem Sci 134, 5 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12039-021-02002-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12039-021-02002-4

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