A highly selective and reversible water-soluble polymer based-colorimetric chemosensor for rapid detection of Cu2+ in pure aqueous solution

Abstract

A novel reversible colorimetric chemosensor, PEGRh, based on polyethylene glycol bearing a rhodamine unit has been successfully developed. PEGRh exhibited high selectivity and sensitivity towards Cu²⁺ with a short response time in pure aqueous solution, and the results could be monitored directly by the naked eye. The detection limit was as low as 2.5 × 10⁻⁸ M. PEGRh could detect Cu²⁺ over a wide pH range of 4–10. In addition, PEGRh is also a reversible colorimetric chemosensor, and it could be made into a test paper to conveniently detect Cu²⁺ in real water samples.