A quinoline colorimetric ionic liquid probe by electrostatic enhancement for visual detection of Fe in food.

Excessive or insufficient iron(Ⅲ) will pose burdens of human body, and its content is the key to control the function of iron-fortified food. In this regard, a functionalized quinoline ionic probe, benefiting from the electrostatic attraction, was designed for the colorimetric detection of Fe in food. This probe formed a 2: 1 complex with Fe, altering the UV-vis spectra and solution color.