A fluorescent probe based on an enhanced ICT effect for Hg²⁺ detection and cell imaging

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Biochemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Mercury ions (Hg²⁺) pose significant environmental and health risks due to their high biological toxicity.
• Rapid and sensitive detection methods for Hg²⁺ are crucial for environmental monitoring and biological studies.
• Existing detection methods may lack the sensitivity, speed, or biocompatibility required for certain applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel fluorescent probes for the sensitive and rapid detection of mercury ions (Hg²⁺).
• To investigate the structural modifications influencing the spectral properties of fluorescent probes.
• To evaluate the potential of the developed probes for detecting Hg²⁺ in biological systems.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis and characterization of two fluorescent probes: YF-Hg and YF-Cl-Hg.
• Introduction of an electron-withdrawing substituent (-Cl) to modify the probe structure.
• Spectroscopic analysis (UV-vis absorption, fluorescence) to assess probe performance.
• Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to understand spectral property variations.
• Evaluation of probe biocompatibility for cellular applications.

Main Results:

• The YF-Cl-Hg probe exhibited a larger Stokes shift and a more significant UV-vis absorption redshift compared to YF-Hg at pH 7.4.
• DFT calculations and experimental spectroscopy confirmed the superior spectral performance of YF-Cl-Hg.
• The probe YF-Cl-Hg demonstrated good biocompatibility, indicating its suitability for intracellular detection.

Conclusions:

• The developed YF-Cl-Hg fluorescent probe offers enhanced spectral properties for mercury ion detection.
• Structural modification, specifically the addition of a -Cl group, significantly improves probe performance.
• YF-Cl-Hg shows potential as a biocompatible tool for detecting mercury ions within living cells.