Detection of uranyl ion using polymeric membrane containing calix[6]arene uranophile

To detect a low concentration of uranyl ions using a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor system, a polymeric sensing membrane containing a water-soluble calix[6]arene was coated on the Au surface of a sensor chip. On the uranyl ion selective molecular-recognition function of the calix[6]arene, the constructed polymeric thin film as a sensing interface showed good sensitivity even in very low concentrations of uranyl ions ranging from 1.0 x 10(-5) M to 1.0 x 10(-12)M (0.1 M Tris-HCl Buffer, pH = 7.0).