Fluorescent nanoparticles of amphiphilic block copolymers for sensitive and rapid detection of N-ethylaniline in water

Abstract

The detection of organic pollutants in water is very important for counteracting environmental contaminant. Conventional detection methods show some disadvantages including complicated and time-consuming processes as well as expensive equipments. Here, a fluorescent amphiphilic diblock copolymer with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) feature and long fluorescence lifetime is used for rapid detection of organic pollutants in water. The polymer forms nanoparticles with a diameter of 45 nm in aqueous solution through self-assembly, which show distinct core/shell structure with chromophores encapsulated in the core. The polymer nanoparticles enjoy high fluorescence quantum yield of 0.52 and long lifetime of 381 ns as well as good stability in aqueous media, which are an ideal candidate for analyte detection. In the presence of N-ethylaniline (EA), a toxic chemical widely used in chemical engineering, the fluorescence of polymer nanoparticles is sharply quenched. The fluorescent nanoparticles can sense EA in aqueous solutions with detection limit as low as 4.6 μg/L. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on fluorescence materials for EA sensing. Moreover, sensors based on the fluorescent nanoparticles are developed to detect EA in tap and river water with high fidelity. Given fast response, high sensitivity, low cost, and simple methodology, these fluorescent nanoparticles provide a promising platform for rapid detection of organic pollutants in water.