Highly sensitive and selective fluorescence sensor based on functional SBA-15 for detection of Hg2+ in aqueous media

A new Rhodamine-based chemosensor RBSN designed for the selective detection of Hg(2+) in aqueous media is synthesized and structural characterized. It features brightness blue emission in the presence of Hg(2+) with the fluorescent detection limit for Hg(2+) in aqueous media being ppb levels and exhibits excellent Hg(2+)-specific luminescence enhancement over various competitive cations, including alkali and alkaliearth, the first-row transition metals and heavy metals. By immobilizing RBSN to the mesoporous SBA-15, a highly selective and sensitive chemosensor toward mercury cations in aqueous solution was achieved. RBSN/SBA-15 could quantitatively determinate mercury cations at ppb level in the practical environmental media, suggesting the possibility for real-time quantitative detection of Hg(2+) and the convenience for potential application in toxicological and environmental science.