Simultaneous determination of copper, mercury and zinc in water with a tailored fluorescent bipyridine ligand entrapped in silica sol-gel

A carboethoxy quinoline-Derived Schiff base chemosensor: Crystal structure, selective Hg2+ ion detection and its computational study

Environmental monitoring of mercury (Hg2+) ions has become increasingly important as a result of their detrimental effects on biological organisms at all levels. To recognize toxic metal ions, utmost effort has been devoted to developing new materials that are highly selective, ultra-sensitive, and provide rapid response. In this context, a new chemosensor, 2-imino [N - (N-amido phenyl)]-6-methoxy-3-carbethoxy quinoline (L), has been synthesized by combining 2-formyl-6-methoxy-3-carbethoxy quinoline and benzhydrazide and it has been extensively characterized by NMR, FTIR, ESI-Mass and SCXRD analysis. Probe L has excellent specificity and sensitivity toward Hg2+ ions in semi-aqueous solutions, with a detection limit of 0.185 μM, regardless of the presence of other interfering cations. Chromogenic behavior was demonstrated by the L when it changed the color of the solution from colorless to light yellow, a change that can be observed visually. The probe L forms a 1:1 stochiometric complex with an estimated association constant (Ka) of 6.74 × 104 M-1. The 1H NMR change and density functional theory calculations were analyzed to improve our understanding of the sensing mechanism. Also, an inexpensive and simple paper-based test kit has been developed for the on-site detection of mercury ions in water samples.

N-doped carbon nanospheres as selective fluorescent probes for mercury detection in contaminated aqueous media: chemistry, fluorescence probing, cell line patterning, and liver tissue interaction

A precise nano-scale biosensor was developed here to detect Hg²⁺ in aqueous media. Nitrogen-doped carbon nanospheres (NCS) created from the pyrolysis of melamine-formaldehyde resin were characterized by FESEM, XRD, Raman spectra, EDS, PL, UV-vis spectra, and N₂ adsorption-desorption, and were used as a highly selective and sensitive probe for detecting Hg²⁺ in aqueous media. The sensitivity of NCS to Hg²⁺ was evaluated by photoluminescence intensity fluctuations under fluorescence emission in the vicinity of 390 nm with a λ_exc of 350 nm. The fluorescence intensity of the NCS probe weakened in the presence of Hg²⁺ owing to the effective fluorescence quenching by that, which is not corresponding to the special covalent liking between the ligand and the metal. The effects of the fluorescence nanoprobe concentration, pH, and sensing time were monitored to acquire the best conditions for determining Hg²⁺. Surprisingly, NCS revealed excellent selectivity and sensitivity towards Hg²⁺ in the samples containing Co²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, Fe²⁺, Mn²⁺, Al³⁺, Pb²⁺, Ni²⁺, Ca²⁺, Cu²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cd²⁺, Cr³⁺, Li⁺, Cs⁺, and Ba²⁺. The fluorescence response was linearly proportional to Hg²⁺ concentration in 0.013-0.046 µM with a limit of detection of 9.58 nM. The in vitro and in vivo toxicological analyses confirmed the completely safe and biocompatible features of NCS, which provides promise for use for water, fruit, vegetable, and/or other forms of natural-connected materials exposed to Hg²⁺, with no significant toxicity noticed toward different cells/organs/tissues.

A colorimetric and fluorescent chemosensor for Hg2+ based on a photochromic diarylethene with a quinoline unit

A new colorimetric and fluorescent 'on-off' chemosensor, 1O, based on a photochromic diarylethene with a quinoline unit was designed and synthesized. The chemosensor 1O demonstrated selective and sensitive detection of Hg2+ ions in the presence of other competitive metal ions in acetonitrile. The stoichiometric ratio of the sensor 1O for Hg2+ was determined to be 1 : 1, and the limit of detection of the probe 1O was calculated to be 56.3 nM for Hg2+. In addition, a molecular logic circuit with four inputs and one output was successfully constructed with UV/vis light and metal-responsive behavior. ESI-MS spectroscopy, Job's plot analysis, and 1H NMR titration experiments confirm the binding behavior between 1O and Hg2+.

A Simple Spectrofluorimetric Method for Iron Determination with a Chalcone-Based Schiff Base

A chalcone-based Schiff base (5), capable of detecting iron (III) in partially aqueous media, has been designed, then synthesized by the condensation of 3-formyl-2-hydroxyquinoline and acetophenone. To determine iron (III) ion, a simple spectrofluorimetric method was developed by using the synthesized Schiff base. The developed method was validated by analyzing the certified reference material (CRM-SA-C Sandy Soil C). During the process of the determination of iron in food samples, satisfactory accuracy was obtained for spinach and rocket. Nitric acid and hydrogen fluoride were used for the digestion of the certified reference material whereas only nitric acid was used for food samples, in a closed microwave system. Measurements were carried out by using the modified standard addition method. The standard addition graph was linear until 5.0 mg/L. in determination of iron (III). Detection and quantification limits were 0.06 and 0.20 mg/L., respectively. The presented method is simple, time-saving, cost-effective and suitable for determination of iron content of soil and foods.

UiO-66 MOF end-face-coated optical fiber in aqueous contaminant detection

Optical quality metal organic framework (MOF) thin films were integrated, for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, with structured optical fiber substrates to develop MOF-fiber sensors. The MOF-fiber structure, UiO-66 (Zr-based MOF is well known for its water stability), is a thin film that acts as an effective analyte collector. This provided a Fabry-Perot sensor in which concentrations of up to 15 mM Rhodamine-B were detected via wavelength shifts in the interference spectrum.

Architecture of optical sensor for recognition of multiple toxic metal ions from water

Here, we designed novel optical sensor based on the wormhole hexagonal mesoporous core/multi-shell silica nanoparticles that enabled the selective recognition and removal of these extremely toxic metals from drinking water. The surface-coating process of a mesoporous core/double-shell silica platforms by several consequence decorations using a cationic surfactant with double alkyl tails (CS-DAT) and then a synthesized dicarboxylate 1,5-diphenyl-3-thiocarbazone (III) signaling probe enabled us to create a unique hierarchical multi-shell sensor. In this design, the high loading capacity and wrapping of the CS-DAT and III organic moieties could be achieved, leading to the formation of silica core with multi-shells that formed from double-silica, CS-DAT, and III dressing layers. In this sensing system, notable changes in color and reflectance intensity of the multi-shelled sensor for Cu(2+), Co(2+), Cd(2+), and Hg(2+) ions, were observed at pH 2, 8, 9.5 and 11.5, respectively. The multi-shelled sensor is added to enable accessibility for continuous monitoring of several different toxic metal ions and efficient multi-ion sensing and removal capabilities with respect to reversibility, selectivity, and signal stability.

Optical nanosphere sensor based on shell-by-shell fabrication for removal of toxic metals from human blood

Because toxic heavy metals tend to bioaccumulate, they represent a substantial human health hazard. Various methods are used to identify and quantify toxic metals in biological tissues and environment fluids, but a simple, rapid, and inexpensive system has yet to be developed. To reduce the necessity for instrument-dependent analysis, we developed a single, pH-dependent, nanosphere (NS) sensor for naked-eye detection and removal of toxic metal ions from drinking water and physiological systems (i.e., blood). The design platform for the optical NS sensor is composed of double mesoporous core-shell silica NSs fabricated by one-pot, template-guided synthesis with anionic surfactant. The dense shell-by-shell NS construction generated a unique hierarchical NS sensor with a hollow cage interior to enable accessibility for continuous monitoring of several different toxic metal ions and efficient multi-ion sensing and removal capabilities with respect to reversibility, longevity, selectivity, and signal stability. Here, we examined the application of the NS sensor for the removal of toxic metals (e.g., lead ions from a physiological system, such as human blood). The findings show that this sensor design has potential for the rapid screening of blood lead levels so that the effects of lead toxicity can be avoided.

Spectrophotometric measurement of Cu(DDTC)2 for the simultaneous determination of zinc and copper

A spectrophotometric procedure for the simultaneous determination of zinc(II) and copper(II) in a mixture using diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC) as ligand has been described. Complexes formed with DDTC was extracted with CHCl(3)/CCl(4) and the absorbance was measured at 435 nm which is equivalent of Cu(II) in sample only as Zn(DDTC)(2) has no absorption. Zinc measurement is based on the quantitative displacement of zinc from Zn(DDTC)(2) by Cu(II) with the addition of excess copper(II) to the extract. The absorbance is measured again where additional absorbance is equivalent to zinc. The molar absorptivity and sandall's sensitivity at this wavelength are 2.86×10(5) mol(-1) L cm(-1) and 3.076 ng cm(-2), respectively. Reproducibility with in 4% and detection limits of 0.29 μg mL(-1) was obtained. Linear calibration range was 0.2-14 μg mL(-1) for zinc and 0.2-12 μg mL(-1) for copper with the regression coefficient (r(2)) 0.998 for each. In the presence of a suitable masking agent (EDTA) very good selectivity was achieved. The method was extended to the determination of zinc and copper in a number of environmental water and soil samples, biological, pharmaceutical, fertilizer and food samples.

Recent progress in optical chemical sensors

Optical chemical sensors have promoted escalating interest in the determination of various pollutants in the environment, which are creating toxicity and may cause serious health problems. This review paper focuses particularly on the recent progress and developments in this field; the working principles and basic classes of optical chemical sensors have been briefly described.

A REVERSIBLE OPTICAL SENSOR BASED ON CHITOSAN FILM FOR THE SELECTIVE DETECTION OF COPPER IONS

Heavy metals greatly influence animal physiology, even at small doses. Among these metals, the copper ion is of great concern due to its effects on humans and wide applications in industry. Compared to atomic absorption spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, which destroy the samples that are analyzed, optical techniques do not decompose the analyte and have become a popular field of recent research. In this paper, we combined a novel optical detector that did not require sample-labeling, called surface plasmon resonance (SPR), with chitosan to detect copper ions by modifying the functional groups of chitosan through pH modification. Compared to other optical detectors, the SPR system was relatively fast and involved fewer experimental confounding factors. The three-dimensional structure of chitosan was used to obtain lower detection limits. Moreover, modification of the chitosan functional groups resulted in efficient regeneration by controlling the pH. A detection limit of 0.1 μM was obtained (linear range: 0.5–10 μM, R2 = 0.976), and the specificity was certified by comparing the copper ion with six other ions. Additionally, we successfully regenerated the SPR chips by modifying the functional groups. In conclusion, the chitosan–SPR system detected copper ions with improved detection limits using a quick and simple regeneration method.