Highly sensitive detection of Cr(VI), Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions by a new fluorescent sensor based on 4-amino-3-hydroxynaphthalene sulfonic acid-doped polypyrrole

A new electrosynthesized, fluorescent 4-amino-3-hydroxynaphthalene-1-sulfonic acid-doped polypyrrole (AHNSA-PPy) was used for the detection of Cr(VI), Pb(II) and Cd(II) heavy metallic ions. The optical properties of AHNSA-PPy were studied by UV-VIS absorption and fluorescence spectrometry in diluted DMSO solutions. UV-VIS spectrum showed a main band at 260 nm, a moderate band at 240 nm, and shoulders at 285, 295, 320 and 360 nm, whereas the fluorescence spectrum presented an excitation peak at 330 nm and a main emission peak at 390 nm with a shoulder at 295 nm. The effects of heavy metallic ions, including Cr(VI), Pb(II), and Cd(II), on the AHNSA-PPy UV-VIS absorption and fluorescence spectra were investigated. AHNSA-PPy fluorescence spectra were strongly quenched upon increasing the Cr(VI), Pb(II) and Cd(II) concentrations. Linear Stern-Volmer relationships were established, and polynomial equations for Pb(II) and Cd(II) were obeyed, indicating the existence of a AHNSA-PPy dynamic fluorescence quenching mechanism for Cr(VI) and a combination of dynamic and static fluorescence quenching for Pb(II) and Cd(II). The AHNSA-PPy sensor showed high sensitivity for fluorescence detection of the three heavy metallic ions, with very low limits of detection (3σ) of 1.4 nM for Cr(VI), 2.7 nM for Cd(II) and 2.6 nM for Pb(II). Therefore, this very sensitive quenching fluorimetric sensor is proposed for the detection of trace, toxic heavy metallic ions in the environment.