One-to-Nine Single Spectroscopic Intelligent Probe for Risk Assessment of Multiple Metals in Drinking Water

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Environmental Science
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Global access to clean drinking water is a critical challenge, impacting public health and aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• Current water monitoring methods for metal ions often involve a trade-off between professionalism and convenience, hindering widespread adoption.
• There is a need for accessible, sensitive, and user-friendly methods for detecting multiple metal ions in public water systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an innovative, easy-to-use visual method for detecting multiple metal ions in drinking water.
• To overcome the limitations of existing water monitoring techniques, particularly the professionalism-convenience trade-off.
• To enhance the sensitivity and reliability of multimetal analysis in public water testing.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a novel thiourea spectroscopic probe with high affinity for nine different metal ions.
• Detection of metal-thiourea complexes using portable spectrometers suitable for non-specialized personnel.
• Application of machine learning (ML) algorithms to analyze composite spectral signatures and resolve signal overlap issues.

Main Results:

• The developed method allows for the simultaneous detection of one to nine metal ions.
• Machine learning effectively addressed multipeak overlap and improved reproducibility in spectral analysis.
• Achieved a sensitive detection limit of 0.01 mg/L, meeting established water quality standards.
• Detection is completed rapidly, within 30-300 seconds.

Conclusions:

• The novel thiourea probe combined with ML offers a convenient and sensitive approach for public drinking water safety testing.
• This method empowers non-specialized personnel to conduct reliable water quality assessments.
• The strategy significantly advances the field of portable water monitoring for ubiquitous metal ions.