Polyamine Based Ratiometric Fluorescent Chemosensor for Strontium Metal Ion in Aqueous Medium: Application in Tap Water, River Water, and in Oral Care

A pyrene-based polymer, 2, was synthesized via one step condensation reaction between pyrene-1-carboxaldehyde and polyamine in methanol. Organic nanoparticles (ONPs) of polymeric compound 2 were developed using a reprecipitation method and investigated for their chemosensor application using fluorescence spectroscopy. Nanoaggregates of polymer compound 2 exhibit efficient and selective chemosensor properties for detection of strontium ions in an aqueous medium, with a detection limit of 9 nM. To analyze the practical utility of the sensor, it was successfully employed to detect the amount of Sr2+ in tap water, river water, and strontium based toothpastes.