A Zn‐based metal–organic framework for the irreversible determination of trace biomarkers of styrene and ethylbenzene in urine

Abstract

Phenylglyoxylic acid (PGA), as a urine metabolite of ethylbenzene and styrene (EB/S), can effectively represent the level of EB/S ingested by the human body through oral inhalation and skin absorption. Compared with measuring EB/S levels directly in the environment, detecting the level of PGA in urine has the advantages of high specificity and noninvasive sampling. In this paper, a metal-organic framework (MOF)-based sensor Zn-PBA = ({[Zn(PBA)ÁH 2 O]Á 2H 2 O} n , H 2 PBA = 4-(5-pyridinyl)-1,3 benzoic acid) for trace detection of PGA was designed and synthesized by a solvothermal method. Zn-PBA could detect the level of PGA in normal human physiological urine environment (pH range from 5.5 to 7.5) and has the characteristics of high selectivity and sensitivity, rapid response (<210 s), low limit of detection (LOD = 1.96 Â 10 À6 M), and so forth. The irreversible sensing of PGA proves that PGA caused the structural collapse of Zn-PBA. This paper provides a specific sensor for detecting trace PGA level for evaluating the EB/S content intake by the human body.

Saturated Linkers in Two-Dimensional Covalent Organic Frameworks Boost Their Luminescence

“…As a human urine metabolite of ethylbenzene and styrene (EB/S), phenyl glyoxylic acid (PGA) can indicate the amount of EB/S absorbed by the human body through daily contact with plastic pollutants, making it important to develop sensitive sensors for PGA. Remarkably, ETTA-CHDA COF was also capable of detecting traces of PGA, with PL quenching of up to 99% upon addition of PGA to the THF solution (Figure e).…”

“…In addition, the large 1D open nanochannels may also provide pathways for PA molecules to efficiently interact with the TPE units inside the framework, causing PL quenching through photoinduced energy transfer. 49 As a human urine metabolite of ethylbenzene and styrene (EB/S), phenyl glyoxylic acid (PGA) can indicate the amount of EB/S absorbed by the human body through daily contact with plastic pollutants, 50 making it important to develop sensitive sensors for PGA. Remarkably, ETTA-CHDA COF was also capable of detecting traces of PGA, with PL quenching of up to 99% upon addition of PGA to the THF solution (Figure 6e).…”