Simple fluorescent sensor for simultaneous selective quantification of benzene, toluene and xylene in a multicomponent mixture

A simple fluorescent sensor utilizing a material based on dibenzoylmethanatoboron difluoride (DBMBF2) fluorophore capable of forming exciplexes with benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTX) has been developed. A physicochemical model for the dependence of the sample emission spectra on exposure to vapors of aromatic compounds was used to formulate criteria which should be fulfilled to detect individual analytes in a multicomponent mixture. It is experimentally demonstrated that after calibration the sensor provides simultaneous quantification of benzene, toluene and p-xylene in three-component mixtures. The approach proposed can be applied to a wide range of fluorescent sensor materials based on donor-acceptor interactions in the excited states. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.