Terbium(III) as a Fluorescent Probe for Molecular Detection of Ascorbic Acid

Abstract

Fluorescence analysis is a simple and a highly sensitive method for detection of small amounts of biologically active substances. In this study, a complexation of terbium(III) chelates with 1,10-phenanthroline and ascorbic acid (AA) and luminescent properties of complexes were investigated. The influence of pH and solubilization of complexes by micellar solutions of nonionic, cationic, and anionic surfactants on fluorescence was studied. The quenching effect of terbium ion fluorescence was detected upon an introduction of ascorbic acid. The quenching effect of the complex with mixed ligands Tb(1,10-phenanthroline)-AA allows for the detection of ascorbic acid with the limit of 7.4 × 10−5 mol·L−1.

Keywords

• fluorescence
• terbium complex
• ascorbic acid
• quenching effect
• micelles