Photo-Physical Properties of a New Norfloxacin-Containing Polymer for Protons and Fe3+ Sensing

A novel norlfoxacin-containing fluorescent polymer was synthesized via copolymerization of two derivatives of norfloxacin and methylmetacrylate (MMA). It could emit blue fluorescence in both the solution and film states. Fluorescence characteristics of the polymer as a function of pH were investigated in aqueous solution. The polymer solution showed weaker fluorescence between pH 5-9. When the pH of the solution was higher than 9 or lower than 5, stronger fluorescence could be seen. Responses of metal cations (Mn^{2 +}, Fe^{3 +}, Co^{2 +}, Ni^{2 +}, Cu^{2 +} and Zn^{2 +}) to the fluorescence intensity of this polymer were obtained that only Fe^{3 +} could quench efficiently the fluorescence intensity of the polymer in solution and film state. The results suggested the possibility that this newly synthesized compound might work as a polymeric sensor responding to water polluted by protons and Fe^{3 +}.