Room temperature phosphorescence flow-through biosensing of anionic surfactants Original Research Article

The first flow-through biosensor for anionic surfactant determination based on a sensitive room temperature phosphorescence phase Al-Ferron coated with bovine serum albumin has been prepared, characterised and applied to the determination of sodium dodecylbenzenesulphonate in standard aqueous solution and in spiked water samples (lake, river and spring). The optosensor response to sodium dodecylbenzenesulphonate was linear from 5×10−6 M to 5×10−4 M which is a suitable range for the detection of anionic surfactant concentrations in polluted natural waters. The sample analysis was rapid (90% of the total response is reached in less than 30 s), convenient (no-sample pretreatment) and did not require organic reagents which are harmful to the environment. This work demonstrates the analytical potential of surfactant–protein interactions as a biorecognition mechanism using suitable luminescence probes.