Highly efficient and selective supramolecular hydrogel sensor based on rhodamine 6G derivatives

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Mercury ions (Hg²⁺) pose significant environmental and health risks.
• Development of selective and sensitive detection methods for Hg²⁺ is crucial.
• Existing detection methods may lack reusability or applicability in diverse water conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize a mercury ion-sensitive fluorescent functional monomer.
• To develop novel macroscopic hydrogel sensors for Hg²⁺ detection.
• To evaluate the performance of these hydrogel sensors in different water environments.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a rhodamine 6G-based fluorescent functional monomer.
• Fabrication of hydrogel sensors using free radical polymerization.
• Utilizing guest-host interaction for hydrogel sensor development.
• Testing sensor selectivity, sensitivity, and reusability for Hg²⁺ detection.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized a mercury ion-sensitive fluorescent monomer.
• Developed two effective hydrogel sensor fabrication approaches.
• Hydrogel sensors demonstrated high selectivity and sensitivity towards Hg²⁺.
• Sensors performed satisfactorily in both flowing and standing water environments.
• The developed hydrogel sensors are tailorable and reusable.

Conclusions:

• The synthesized hydrogel sensors offer a promising tool for sensitive and selective Hg²⁺ detection.
• The developed methods provide a new avenue for constructing fluorescent analysis methods for mercury detection.
• These reusable hydrogel sensors are suitable for practical applications in water quality monitoring.