BaZrO3:Eu3+ nanophosphor: A potential fluorescent sensor for highly selective and sensitive detection of chromium ions from tannery leather and wastewater

Abstract The assessment of Chromium ion in the field of leather tanning industry; either in leathers or waste forms, using fluorescent sensor method, has not been thoroughly explored. Herein, a simple and sensitive fluorescent sensor based on x mol Eu 3+ :BaZrO 3 Nano-phosphor (EBZO) (x = 0.00150, 0.0150, 0.0300, 0.0500 mol) has been prepared and characterized for Cr 3+ ion detection in tanning leathers or waste. Eu 3+ :BaZrO 3 Nano-sensor has strong and pure red emission with long lifetime upon UVC excitation; either in solid state or aqueous solutions. The sensing results reveal that EBZO Nano-sensor is quite selective and sensitive towards chromium ion over other metal ions. The assessment of chromium ion has been done using Stern-Volmer quenching method on the red fluorescence emitted from the sensor upon the addition of chromium in aqueous solution. Calibration plot has been achieved over the concentration 1.0–10 × 10 −9 molL −1 with a correlation coefficient of 0.978 and a detection limit of 3.8 × 10 −9  mol L −1 . Optical fluorescence and lifetime measurements confirm that EBZO sensor is statically quenched via columbic interaction mechanism with chromium ions. Optimized EBZO Nano-sensor is successfully applied for Chromium detection in real tanning of leather or other waste samples with high recovery values.