A water soluble azo dye modified β-cyclodextrin polymer 4 was synthesized and used as a chemosensor for the detection of chlorinated phenols, model chlorinated by-products (CBPs) of water treatment for drinking purposes. The characterization of the intermediates and the azo dye modified β-CD polymer was done by UV/Vis Spectrophotometry, FT-IR and (1)H-NMR spectroscopies. The chlorophenols were capable of quenching the fluorescence of the polymer. The polymer showed greater sensitivity towards 2,4-dichlorophenol, with a sensitivity factor of 0.35 compared to 0.05 and 0.12 for phenol and 4-chlorophenol, respectively. The stability constants (K(s)) of the pollutants were also determined by the Benesi-Hildebrand method to be 2.104 × 10(3) M(-1) for 2,4-dichlorophenol and 1.120 × 10(2) M(-1) for 4-chlorophenol.
Keywords: azo dye; chemosensor; chlorinated by-product; fluorescence; β-cyclodextrin polymer.