Reusable Colorimetric Fluoride Sensors

Fluoridation of drinking water has been effective in preventing tooth decay and improving overall den-tal health; however, overexposure to fluoride poses numerous serious health risks including brittle bone disease and increases in bone cancers. Thus, accurate detection of fluoride levels in water and food sources as well as in body fluids is essential. 

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Applications:

• Medicine and health applications, both commercial and consumer-oriented, to test for the presence of fluoride in tap water, foods, blood and urine
• Food industry applications, such as testing toothpaste, bottled water, and food products
• Commercial product to enable water purifier manufacturers to test the effectiveness of their products more easily and at a reduced cost
• Municipal water-testing applications, particularly field testing
• Humanitarian application for use in developing countries with few or non-existent fluoride testing tools or standards

Advantages:

• Offers both colorimetric and fluorimetric detection
• Can detect fluoride presence and quantity in a variety of environments including water, food, gas/air, and body fluids
• The sensors are easy to synthesize, environmentally benign, and can detect a range of fluoride concentration levels, with high sensitivity at extremely low nanomolar concentrations
• Dip-stick and spot-test forms are easy to use, effective, and comparatively inexpensive to produce
• Tests are reversible, reusable (with power source), and recyclable (disposable), thus reducing waste and costs