A coumarin-based fluorescent probe for selective detection of Cu2+ in water

Abstract

Fluorescent Red GK, a commercially available coumarin-based dye, was developed as a “turn-off” fluorescent probe for detection of Cu2+ in aqueous solution. It exhibited high selectivity and sensitivity at room temperature. Upon addition of Cu2+, the strong fluorescence of Fluorescent Red GK was severely quenched and its color changed from orange to colorless under illumination with a UV lamp; the color of the solution also changed from pink to colorless. So, it can be used as a specific colorimetric and fluorescent probe for Cu2+ with a detection limit as low as 0.0634 μM.