Highly Sensitive Detection of Organophosphorus Pesticides Using 5,10,15,20-Tetrakis(4-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin

Abstract

We describe a unique UV-visible absorption spectral property of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin (THPP) in the presence of organophosphorus (OP) pesticides. Upon titrating each 16 among total 40 different OP pesticides, the Soret band was significantly red-shifted, and a very intense Q band appeared. They were attributed to the diprotonation of THPP. A suitable solvent for this reaction was determined to be methanol. THPP would become a potential sensor molecule used to detect OP pesticides with high sensitivity in the concentration range of 10⁻⁶ – 10⁻⁴ M.