An optical sensor (optode) based on a plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) bulk membrane incorporating a metal ion-selective ionophore, a proton-selective chromoionophore, and lipophilic anionic sites for the measurement of lead is presented. Different ionophores (ETH 322, ETH 5428, ETH 295, ETH 5435) and chromoionophores (ETH 2439, ETH 5418, ETH 5315, ETH 5294) were used to design a new optode for environmental sensing properties. The present optode system shows an especially excellent selectivity over alkali and alkaline-earth metals. The measuring range for lead was found to be 5.0×10 -9 to 5.0×10 -3 M at pH 5.68 with a corresponding detection limit of 3.2×10 -12 M