Credentials of chromone based probe as colorimetric sensor for the detection of Cu ion: design of test paper kit and potential anticancer activity.

3-(5-Chloro-2,3-dihydrobenzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-4H-chromen-4-one (MCF) is spectroscopically characterised (FT-IR, UV-Vis, ESI-MS, NMR) and has been used for the chromogenic selective recognition of Cu ion in EtOH-HO (99:1, v/v) medium in presence of fourteen competitive ions and the limit of detection is 0.6 μM (WHO recommended the permissible limit, 20 μM). The Job's plot identifies the 1:1 M ratio of probe, MCF:Cu. The Benesi-Hildebrand equation calculates the binding constant, 4.9346 × 10 M which signifies the sufficient stability of probe-analyte composite. A paper kit is designed and has been impregnated with probe. It is dried and has been used for the detection of Cu in water. On dipping the probe kit in Cu contaminated water with other cations develops yellowish brown color while no change is seen in absence of Cu. The biocompaitability and non-toxicity of the MCF was examined by MTT assay in MDA-MB-231 cell line. The experimental outcome depicted that the probe can be used as a potential therapeutic candidate towards TNBC treatment.