Abstract:
A rhodamine-based “ON–OFF” fluorescent probe was designed on the bases of modulation in structure
between spirocyclic (non-fluorescent) and ring-open (fluorescent) forms of rhodamine dye. The sensing
behavior toward metal ions was investigated with fluorescence spectroscopy. The dye has been processed
intonanoaggregates throughreprecipitationmethod.NanoaggregatesN1 show highsensitivity andselectivity toward Fe3+ in aqueous medium with detection limit of 9.2 nM, whereas other ions including Li+,
Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+, Cr3+, Mn2+, Co2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Ag+, Cd2+, Pb2+, Hg2+ and Cs+ showed no such
spectral change, which constituted a Fe3+ selective fluorescent chemosensor. Further, the practical utility
of sensor has been evaluated for analysis of Fe3+ content in iron supplement tablets available in local
market.
