Silver coordination polymers for measuring arsenic levels in water

Abstract

Measurement devices can be used for identifying concentration of arsenic species in water samples. The measurement devices can take the form of test strips including a substrate with at least one testing region that includes an amount of a testing medium. The silver reagent includes a polymer framework and a silver component that is stabilized by the framework, yet remains reactive enough to function as a colorimetric sensor for arsenic, e.g., ((Ag(H2btc))(Ag2(Hbtc)))n. The initially substantially colorless testing medium exhibits a color change response when exposed to arsenic species, e.g., arsine, generated from samples including as little as 5 ppb arsenic, with an increasingly dark color as the concentration of arsenic is increased. Test strips fabricated with the silver coordination polymer display robust stability towards both light and water, allowing for an alternative to mercury-based field test kits in real-world field tests under direct sunlight and high humidity conditions.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.