Single gold nanocluster probe-based fluorescent sensor array for heavy metal ion discrimination.
Xiang-Ping Zhang1, Kai-Yuan Huang1, Shao-Bin He1
1Higher Educational Key Laboratory for Nano Biomedical Technology of Fujian Province, Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004, China.
Journal of Hazardous Materials
|October 24, 2020
Summary
A novel fluorescent sensor array using a single gold nanocluster (AuNC) probe enables rapid discrimination of hazardous heavy metal ions (HMIs). This sensing platform achieves 100% accuracy in identifying multiple HMIs in various samples.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Nanotechnology
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Heavy metal ions (HMIs) pose significant risks to human health and the environment, necessitating effective detection methods.
- Existing sensors often lack the specificity and speed required for comprehensive HMI monitoring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a facile fluorescent sensor array for the rapid discrimination of multiple heavy metal ions (HMIs).
- To utilize a single gold nanocluster (AuNC) probe with pH-dependent fluorescence for unique HMI fingerprinting.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of a gold nanocluster (AuNC) probe using 2-mercapto-1-methylimidazole (MMI) and polyvinypyrrolidone (PVP).
- Exploitation of the pH-dependent fluorescence emission (yellow at pH 12.0, red at pH 6.0) of the PVP/MMI-AuNC probe.
- Construction of a sensor array by altering pH and observing differential photoluminescence responses to various HMIs.
- Application of hierarchical cluster analysis and linear discriminant analysis for data interpretation.
Main Results:
- The PVP/MMI-AuNC probe exhibited distinct fluorescence changes in response to different HMIs at specific wavelengths (512 nm and 700 nm).
- A sensor array successfully differentiated seven HMIs with unique response patterns.
- Achieved 100% identification accuracy for HMIs in both buffer solutions and spiked water samples.
Conclusions:
- The developed fluorescent sensor array offers a simple, powerful, and highly accurate platform for the simultaneous detection and discrimination of multiple HMIs.
- This approach demonstrates significant potential for environmental monitoring applications, providing a robust fingerprinting sensing strategy.
