Abstract
Reported herein is the sensitive and selective cyclodextrin-promoted fluorescence detection of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and cumene (BTEXC) fuel components in contaminated snow samples collected from several locations in the state of Rhode Island. This detection method uses cyclodextrin as a supramolecular scaffold to promote analyte-specific, proximity-induced fluorescence modulation of a high-quantum-yield fluorophore, which leads to unique fluorescence responses for each cyclodextrin-analyte-fluorophore combination investigated and enables unique pattern identifiers for each analyte using linear discriminant analysis (LDA). This detection method operates with high levels of sensitivity (sub-micromolar detection limits), selectivity (100% differentiation between structurally similar compounds, such as ortho-, meta-, and para-xylene isomers), and broad applicability (for different snow samples with varying chemical composition, pH, and electrical conductivity). The high selectivity, sensitivity, and broad applicability of this method indicate significant potential in the development of practical detection devices for aromatic toxicants in complex environments.
Highlights
The ubiquitous prevalence of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, and cumene (BTEXC) in the environment [1] is a result of the fact that they are components of various fuel types, including gasoline [2] and crude oil [3]
Cyclodextrins were purchased from Tokyo Chemical Industry (TCI) and used as received
All cyclodextrins were purchased from Tokyo Chemical Industry (TCI) and used as received
Summary
The ubiquitous prevalence of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, and cumene (BTEXC) in the environment [1] is a result of the fact that they are components of various fuel types, including gasoline [2] and crude oil [3]. The deleterious health effects associated with exposure to these compounds varies somewhat by compound [4], with benzene in particular demonstrated to have high toxicity [5] and carcinogenicity [6]. Even relatively less toxic analytes, such as toluene, have still been reported to have negative health effects for humans [7] and animals [8]. Literature-reported detection methods for BTEXC compounds include gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) [9], liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) [10], and electrochemical methods [11]. While the electrochemical methods can be portable [12], rapid [13], and highly sensitive [14], the general applicability of such methods has not yet been determined
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