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Construction of a Graphene/Au-Nanoparticles/Cucurbit[7]uril-Based Sensor for Pb(2+) Sensing
Xinhao Shi1, Wei Gu1, Cuiling Zhang1
1Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, Department of Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, No. 500, Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200241, China.
Abstract:
The development of highly sensitive and selective methods for the detection of lead ion (Pb(2+)) is of great scientific importance. In this work, we develop a new surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based sensor for the selective trace measurement of Pb(2+). The SERS-based sensor is assembled from gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and graphene using cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) as a precise molecular glue and a local SERS reporter. Upon the addition of Pb(2+), CB[7] forms stronger complexes with Pb(2+) and desorbs from AuNPs, resulting in a sensitive "turn-off" of SERS signals. This SERS-based assay shows a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.3 nm and a linear detection range from 1 nm to 0.3 μm for Pb(2+). The feasibility of the assay is further demonstrated by probing Pb(2+) in real water samples. This SERS-based analytical method is highly sensitive and selective, and therefore holds promising applications in environmental analysis.
