Abstract
A simple, small size, and low cost sensor based on a Deferoxamine Self Assembled Monolayer (DFO-SAM) and Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) transduction, in connection with a Plastic Optical Fiber (POF), has been developed for the selective detection of Fe(III). DFO-SAM sensors based on appropriate electrochemical techniques can be frequently found in the scientific literature. In this work, we present the first example of a DFO-SAM sensor based on SPR in an optical fiber. The SPR sensing platform was realized by removing the cladding of a plastic optical fiber along half the circumference, spin coating a buffer of Microposit S1813 photoresist on the exposed core, and finally sputtering a thin gold film. The hydroxamate siderophore deferoxamine (DFO), having high binding affinity for Fe(III), is then used in its immobilized form, as self-assembled monolayer on the gold layer surface of the POF sensor. The results showed that the DFO-SAM-POF-sensor was able to sense the formation of the Fe(III)/DFO complex in the range of concentrations between 1 μm and 50 μm with a linearity range from 0 to 30 μm of Fe(III). The selectivity of the sensor was also proved by interference tests.
Highlights
Iron is an important metal ion since it is essential in many metabolic pathways
The fact that Fe(III) is able to interact with the Deferoxamine Self Assembled Monolayer (DFO-self-assembled monolayer (SAM))-Plastic Optical Fiber (POF) here considered has been shown by Shervedani et al [3,27] by electrochemical detection
In the present investigation we would like to demonstrate that the association of Fe(III) with the Deferoxamine B (DFO) in the monolayer is able to produce an optical signal, due to a refractive index change, despite of the low mass of the substance interacting with the sensor surface (the atomic mass of Fe(III) is only 55.845 amu)
Summary
Iron is an important metal ion since it is essential in many metabolic pathways. The concentration of Fe(III) in biological systems has to be efficiently balanced as both its deficiency and excess can cause various biological disorders [1]. The same holds for environmental systems, such as fresh and seawaters, in which the iron concentration is claimed to be of crucial relevance [2]. New methods for iron analysis are widely required, in particular for in situ applications, i.e., sensitive, and robust, rapid, easy to perform and possibly at low cost. Sensor technology is suited to meeting these aims. Deferoxamine B (DFO), a bacterial hydroxamate siderophore, has a high affinity for Fe(III), so that
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