Development and Evaluation of a Novel Sandwich-Type Device for the Determination of Fluoride in Aqueous Samples

A sandwich-type analytical sensor device for the determination of fluoride in aqueous samples was developed. The device is based on a versatile sandwich design, consisting of a molecularly imprinted polymer layer confined between two material layers. One layer is transparent to UV radiation while the other allows the passage of the analyte. The imprinted polymer, previously reported by our team, presents an increase on its fluorescence that correlates with the concentration of fluoride.

Analytical parameters such as limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), linear range, repeatability, and accuracy were quantified to evaluate the device's performance. Furthermore, the sensor's response to interfering substances, such as phosphate and chloride, was assessed. With promising performance characteristics, this sandwich-type sensor demonstrates potential for application in diverse sample matrices, including industrial, environmental, and other relevant aqueous samples for fluoride analysis.