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Selective and Sensitive Discrimination of Zinc and Cadmium Based on a Novel Fluorescent Porous Organic Polymer

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Abstract

Zinc and cadmium are two main transition metal ions and play profound important roles in environmental and human health. But the distinctive detection of these two ions is still challenging since they belong to the same periodic group and have similar chemical properties. A fluorescent bipyridine-based porous organic polymer (Bpy-POP) containing aggregation caused quenching (ACQ) units (anthracene) and metal ions recognition units (bipyridine) was synthesized through the Schiff base condensation reaction. In the DMF/H2O mixtures with the water fractions of 90%, the Bpy-POP aggregated and the fluorescent Bpy-POP quenched subsequently due to the ACQ effect of anthracene in the skeleton (“OFF” state). With the addition of Zn2+ or Cd2+, however, the strong coordination of the bipyridine units from the adjacent Bpy-POPs with Zn2+ or Cd2+ induced the partial dispersion of large Bpy-POP aggregates. Consequently, the fluorescence intensities enhanced dramatically as well as the fluorescence emission shifted to redder region, showing an “ON” state. Combing the fluorescence increasing efficiency and the maximum emission wavelength shift degree together, Zn2+ and Cd2+ can be selectively discriminated and quantitatively detected, which exhibits a great promising of the present Bpy-POP based method in Zn2+ and Cd2+ monitoring in real samples.

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (22064001, 41361088), Opening fund of Fundamental Science on Radioactive Geology and Exploration Technology Laboratory (RGET1810).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemistry, Biology and Material Science, East China University of Technology, Nanchang, 330013, China

    Yu-Nan Wu, An-Ting Qiu, Zu-Qi Zhong, Li-Zhi Wang, Ming-Yue Yuan & Sai-Jin Xiao

  2. Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Instrumentation, East China University of Technology, Nanchang, 330013, China

    Sai-Jin Xiao

  3. Huihua College, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050091, China

    Heng-Xin Zhao

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  1. Yu-Nan Wu
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Contributions

Y.N. Wu and A.T. Qiu carried out the discrimination and detection of Zn2+ and Cd2+, Z. Q. Zhong and L. Z. Wang carried out the synthesis of BPY-POP, M. Y. Yuan and J. Guo participated in the preparation of manuscript and discussion, H. X. Zhao carried out the characterization of BPY-POP, S. J. Xiao prepared the manuscript and particapated in the discussion. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sai-Jin Xiao.

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Wu, YN., Qiu, AT., Zhong, ZQ. et al. Selective and Sensitive Discrimination of Zinc and Cadmium Based on a Novel Fluorescent Porous Organic Polymer. J. Anal. Test. 5, 235–241 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41664-021-00193-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41664-021-00193-w

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