Submission Date

7-20-2024

Document Type

Paper- Restricted to Campus Access

Department

Chemistry

Faculty Mentor

Ryan R. Walvoord

Comments

Presented during the 26th Annual Summer Fellows Symposium, July 19, 2024 at Ursinus College.

This research was funded by the Clemens Fund.

Project Description

Chlorite is a common water contaminant that results from the chlorination and purification of drinking water. The overconsumption of chlorite is associated with numerous birth defects and abnormal changes in red blood cells and its concentration in drinking water is therefore regulated. Currently established methods for the detection of chlorite include ion chromatography. However, this methodology requires the use of expensive instrumentation and offers less mobility. Activity-based fluorescent probes offer an alternative, inexpensive, and portable detection method. Our research group has designed a chemical probe that is converted from a dim molecule into a fluorescence one via a highly selective chemical reaction. Previous efforts focused on the synthesis of the probes. This project focuses on the characterization of a molecule and its ability to detect chlorite. Specifically, the probe and its response to various levels of chlorite will be measured via absorbance and fluorescence spectroscopies, and its selectivity compared to other competing water contaminants will be assessed. These experiments will determine the use of the probe for the accurate assessment of chlorite levels in water.

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