Colorimetric Detection Based on Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance Optical Characteristics for Sensing of Mercury...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Nanotechnology
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Mercury ions (Hg(II)) pose significant environmental and health risks.
• Developing selective and sensitive detection methods for Hg(II) is crucial for environmental monitoring.
• Green synthesis of nanoparticles offers an eco-friendly alternative for sensor fabrication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop selective colorimetric detectors using green-fabricated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) for Hg(II) detection.
• To synthesize and characterize AgNPs using eco-friendly methods.
• To establish a rapid, simple, and sensitive method for Hg(II) detection in water samples.

Main Methods:

• Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using onion extract and ultrasound irradiation.
• Characterization of AgNPs using UV-Vis, TEM, SEM/EDAX, FT-IR, and XRD.
• Colorimetric detection of Hg(II) ions utilizing the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) properties of AgNPs.

Main Results:

• Spherical, impurity-free AgNPs with face-centered cubic structures were successfully synthesized.
• The developed AgNP-based sensor demonstrated high sensitivity and selectivity for Hg(II) detection.
• The method showed a rapid response, with good recovery (>92%) and low relative standard deviation (<6%) in real water samples.

Conclusions:

• Green-synthesized AgNPs are effective for the selective and sensitive colorimetric detection of Hg(II) ions.
• The proposed method provides a simple, rapid, and eco-friendly approach for monitoring mercury contamination in water.
• This technology can be applied for the on-site detection of harmful mercury in environmental samples.