A new visual and stable fluorescent Cu-MOF as a dual-function sensor for glyphosate and Cr2O72−

Abstract

A novel three-dimensional skeleton material, [Cu₂(H₄L)(H₂O)₂]_n (H₄L = 2,1′,5,5′-diphenyl ether tetracarboxylic acid ligand), was designed as a four-connected unimodal network topology with a rigid structure. As an efficient and sensitive dual-function sensor for glyphosate (GLYP) and Cr₂O₇²⁻, the Cu-MOF can not only visually monitor analytes with naked eyes but also has high quenching constant and a low limit of detection. It is worth noting that the sensor exhibits excellent water stability and structural integrity under extremely acidic and alkaline conditions. Furthermore, the sensor also has an exciting application prospect in long-term reusability. Moreover, the mechanism of fluorescence quenching is also discussed. In addition, the sensor has satisfactory recovery accuracy for trace detection in water or food samples and can resist the interference of analogs. The fluorescent sensor designed in this study has outstanding potential for real-time monitoring of various pollutants.