In this study, we synthesized polyacrylic acid (PAA)-Ca (Eu) nanoclusters as a luminescence sensor of phosphate ion by a complex method, and we aimed to achieve the quantitative detection of PO43− based on the sensitivity of the charge transfer band of Eu3+ to anionic ligand. The resulting PAA-Ca(Eu) nanoclusters showed a well-dispersed and a dot-like morphology, with an ultra-small diameter (the average size of 2.17 nm) under high resolution transmission electron microscopy(HRTEM) observation. A dynamic light scattering particle size analyzer (DLS) showed a hydrodynamic size of 2.39 nm. The (PAA)-Ca (Eu) nanoclusters as a luminescence sensor showed a significantly higher sensitivity for PO43− than other anions (CO32−, SiO32−, SO42−, SO32−, Br−, Cl−, F−). The luminescence intensity displayed a linear increase (y = 19.32x + 74.75, R2 > 0.999) in a PO43 concentration range (0−10 mM) with the concentration of PO43− increase, and the limit of detection was 0.023 mM. The results showed good recovery rates and low relative standard deviations. These (PAA)-Ca (Eu) nanoclusters are hopeful to become a luminescence sensor for quantitatively detecting PO43−.
Keywords: Eu3+ luminescence sensor; PO43− detection; charge transfer band; nanoclusters.