A novel colorimetric and fluorescent probe for detecting fluoride anions: from water and toothpaste samples

Based on 8-hydroxyquinoline, a 1,8-naphthalimide-derived colorimetric and fluorescent probe was synthesized for naked-eye and fluorescent recognition of F − (from both tetrabutylammonium fluoride and NaF) with high sensitivity and excellent selectivity. The probe can be employed to detect F − quantitatively within certain concentration range, and the detection limit could be as low as 1.8 μM for tetrabutylammonium fluoride and 9 μM for NaF. With this probe, the tests for fluorine contents in tap water, water sample from Eyebrow Lake and several brands of toothpastes were successfully performed.