Carbohydrates in Fluoride Sensing: Use of Cyclodextrin and CNC‐Based Chemical Probes

Abstract

Despite significant development in the area, efficient sensing of fluoride ions in aqueous media remained a serious challenge. In this communication we report the design and synthesis of two eco‐friendly carbohydrate‐based probes for the fluorimetric sensing of fluoride ions. The novel probes are fully characterized with NMR, UV‐Vis, FTIR and MALDI‐TOF. The probes showed selective detection of fluoride anion within the permissible limit set by WHO. The organic cellulose nanocomposite (CNC) based probe showed the lowest detection limit among other carbohydrate‐based probes for the detection of fluoride anion. In addition to the excellent sensitivity, these probes are particularly attractive for their bio‐availability and non‐toxic nature.