Nanoplastics (NPs) in aqueous environment have become a category of emerging pollutants on account of their potential risks to both human health and environment. The detection of NPs is a great challenge due to the lack of sensitive and selective sensing materials with fast response time and wide sensing range of particle sizes. Herein, a Tb-based coordination polymer has been synthesized for luminescent detection of nanopolystyrene with different particle sizes in aqueous solutions, showing a low limit of detection, fast response time within 10 s and high selectivity in the presence of other plastics. The “turn-on” sensing mechanism is studied in detail. This work provides a facile method for the fast detection of NPs.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cclet.2023.108718