The design of molecularly selective membranes is paramount importance in the electrochemical separation organic acids from complex fermentation streams, due to presence multicomponent species. However, current membrane-integrated technologies have relied on ion-exchange that lack intrinsic ion-selectivity, thus preventing their application for value-added recovery competing ions. Here, this stu...

We aim to introduce photoactivated optical ion sensors based on a triggered ion exchange process as novel dynamic tools. The quantification of the acidity change upon photoactivation of spiropyran within an organic membrane phase during photoexcitation is described here for the first time, suggesting a large pK(a) change of more than 6 orders of magnitude.