Fluorescent probes based on cellulose for sensitive detection of Fe3+ and its applications

Iron is closely related to human life and is widely used in industrial production. It is also the highest essential trace element in the human body. A high concentration of Fe3+ is a common water pollutant that can enter the human body through the water cycle and food chain. In this paper, a novel fluorescent probe AC-NA-OH with sensitive response to Fe3+ was designed and synthesized by modifying microcrystalline cellulose (MCC). Probe AC-NA-OH can quickly and sensitively identify Fe3+ (LOD = 0.11 μM). The reaction mechanism of AC-NA-OH was verified through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. There was a good linear relationship between the fluorescence intensity of AC-NA-OH and the concentration of Fe3+, while the fluorescence changes from yellow to colorless. In addition, the probe AC-NA-OH has been successfully applied to the detection of Fe3+ in actual water samples, and the cellulose fluorescent films loaded with probe AC-NA-OH can serve as a convenient tool for detecting Fe3+.