Aqueous colorimetric fluoride detection

A method for measuring fluoride concentration in an aqueous solution, comprising:

• synthesizing a water-soluble species, wherein the water-soluble species is selected from the group consisting of:
• phenol and naphthol, and reacting it with a SiR3 group to generate a protected fluoride sensitive water-soluble species;
• placing, into an aqueous solution, the water-soluble fluoride sensitive species, wherein fluoride contained within the aqueous solution deprotects the fluoride sensitive water-soluble species;
• and
• producing a quantity of azo dye by reacting, within a solution, the deprotected water-soluble species with a diazonium salt, wherein the quantity of azo dye is proportional to an amount of aqueous fluoride within the aqueous solution.

A method for measuring fluoride concentration in an aqueous solution, comprising:

• producing a monoprotected catechol containing a benzaldehyde group by reacting a catechol containing a benzaldehyde group with a SiR3 protecting group;
• placing, into an aqueous solution, the monoprotected catechol, wherein fluoride contained within the aqueous solution deprotects the monoprotected catechol creating a deprotected species;
• and
• producing a quantity of a water-soluble hemicyanine by reacting the deprotected species with an iodide species, wherein the produced quantity of water-soluble hemicyanine is proportional to an amount of aqueous fluoride in the aqueous solution.