Fluorescence quenching method for the determination of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose with acridine yellow or acridine orange

In near neutral to weak basic media, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC) will dissociate to become a macro polymeric anion, which can react with acridine yellow (AY) or acridine orange (AO) to form an ion-association complex resulting in fluorescence quenching of the acridine dyes. The maximum fluorescence quenching wavelength is 505 nm (λex = 440 nm) for AY system and 530 nm (λex = 493 nm) for AO system, respectively. The fluorescence quenching values (ΔF) are directly proportional to the concentrations of NaCMC and the linear ranges are 20.0–4000 μg/L for AY system and 20.0–7000 μg/L for AO system, separately. This method has high sensitivity and the detection limits for NaCMC are 58.0 μg/L (AY system) and 157.2 μg/L (AO system). The effects of coexistent substance have been investigated, and the results show that this method has a relatively good selectivity. A fluorescence quenching method for the determination of NaCMC based on the ion-association reactions of CMC polymeric anion with a basic acridine dye was developed. The method is sensitive, simple and fast.