Fiber-Optic Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensor for Trace Cadmium-Ion Detection Based on Ag-PVA/TiO2 Sensing Membrane

A reflective fiber-optic surface plasmon resonance (RFSPR) sensor was proposed for detection of cadmium ion (Cd2+) in water based on polyvinyl alcohol/titanium dioxide (PVA/TiO2) composite sensing film. The silver (Ag) was deposited on the side and end surfaces of plastic cladding multimode fiber (PCMF), and then uniform PVA/TiO2 was coated on the outside surface of Ag covered PCMF. The Ag films on the end face and the side face of the fiber are respectively playing the roles in enhancing light reflection and exciting SPR effectively. The Ag-PVA/TiO2 composite film is served as the sensing film of Cd2+. The results show that the sensor can detect 0-1 mu M Cd2+ in aqueous solution. The maximum sensitivity of Cd2+ is 315.2 nm/mu M, and the minimum detection concentration is 0.006 mu M (about 0.76 ppb), which is much less than that (3 ppb) of the international standard. This assay for Cd2+ detection possesses high sensitivity, excellent selectivity and good stability. The fiber-optic method might become a potential Cd2+ detection tool in aqueous solution.

Automated summary

The RFSPR sensor utilizing a PVA/TiO2 composite film was able to detect cadmium ions in water, with a detection range of 0-1 µM. The sensor demonstrated high sensitivity, excellent selectivity, and good stability, making it a potential tool for Cd2+ detection in aqueous solutions.