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Updated: Feb 5, 2026

An Anaerobic Biosensor Assay for the Detection of Mercury and Cadmium
Published on: December 17, 2018
A novel bifunctional fluorescent and colorimetric probe for detection of mercury and fluoride ions
Liang Gu1, Tao Zheng1, Zhenxiang Xu2
1Key Laboratory of Science and Technology of Eco-Textiles, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Donghua University, 2999 North Renmin Road, Shanghai 201620, PR China.
Abstract:
A fluorescent and colorimetric probe L1 based on a simple coumarin derivative for detection of Hg2+ and F- ions was developed. Upon addition of Hg2+ and F- ions, L1 underwent desulfurization and desilylation, respectively, to induce marked increase in the fluorescence intensity and sharp color change from light yellow to dark purple and light brown, respectively. Probe L1 could be used for sensing and for quantitative measurement of Hg2+ and F- ions by both UV-vis and fluorescence spectra. The bifunctional probe exhibited a high selectivity over other competitive cations and anions and could be used in both organic and aqueous media over a wide pH range.
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