A visual strip sensor for determination of iron

• A visual strip sensor for on-site detection of iron has been developed and made.
• The sensor is easy to synthesize, portable and recyclable with shelf life >1 year.
• Visual detection limit for iron using the present sensor is 50 ng mL−1.
• Visual strip sensor was applied to ground water and fruit juices.

A visual strip has been developed for sensing iron in different aqueous samples like natural water and fruit juices. The sensor has been synthesized by UV-radiation induced graft polymerization of acrylamide monomer in microporous poly(propylene) base. For physical immobilization of iron selective reagent, the in situ polymerization of acrylamide has been carried out in the presence of 1,10-phenanthroline. The loaded strip on interaction with Fe(II) in aqueous solution turned into orange red color and the intensity of the color was found to be directly proportional to the amount of Fe(II) in the aqueous sample. The minimal sensor response with naked eye was found for 50 ng mL−1 of Fe in 15 min of interaction. However, as low as 20 ng mL−1 Fe could be quantified using a spectrophotometer. The detection limit calculated using the 3s/S criteria, where ‘s’ is the standard deviation of the absorbance of blank reagent loaded strip and ‘S’ is the slope of the linear calibration plot, was 1.0 ng mL−1. The strip was applied to measure Fe in a variety of samples such as ground water and fruit juices.

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