A Reversible Bis(Salamo)-Based Fluorescence Sensor for Selective Detection of Cd2+ in Water-Containing Systems and Food Samples.

A novel, simple, highly selective, and sensitive fluorescence chemosensor for detecting Cd2+ that was constructed from a bis(salamo)-type compound (H₄L) with two N₂O₂ chelating moieties as ionophore was successfully developed. Sensor H₄L could show fluorescence turn-on response rapidly and significant selectivity to Cd2+ over many other metallic ions (Cu2+, Ba2+, Ca2+, K⁺, Cr3+, Mn2+, Sr2+, Co2+, Na⁺, Li⁺, Ni2+, Ag⁺, and Zn2+), and a clear change in color from colorless to yellow that can be very easily observed via the naked eyes in the existence of Cd2+, while other metallic ions do not induce such a change. Interestingly, its fluorescent intensity was increased sharply with the increased concentration of Cd2+. The detection limit of sensor H₄L towards Cd2+ was down to 8.61 × 10-7 M.