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A Smart Chromogenic Hybrid Platform with Reversible and Ultra-selective Ionic Responsiveness
Yoon Woo Choi1, Palanisamy Jayasudha1, Ramalingam Manivannan1
1Department of Advanced Organic Materials Engineering, Chungnam National University, 220 Gung-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-764, South Korea.
Journal of Fluorescence
|May 20, 2026
Summary
A new chemosensor, RBPY, enables rapid, selective visual detection of toxic copper (Cu²⁺) and mercury (Hg²⁺) ions. This versatile platform supports both solution and solid-state sensing for environmental and biological monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Environmental Science
- Materials Science
Background:
- Copper (Cu²⁺) and mercury (Hg²⁺) ions are widespread environmental pollutants with significant toxicity.
- Sensitive and selective detection methods are crucial for monitoring these heavy metals in biological and environmental samples.
- Existing methods may lack speed, selectivity, or portability for real-time applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a bifunctional chemosensor (RBPY) for the simultaneous and selective detection of Cu²⁺ and Hg²⁺ ions.
- To evaluate the performance of RBPY in both solution-based and solid-state formats.
- To explore the integration of RBPY into portable and automated sensing systems.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis and characterization of the bifunctional chemosensor RBPY.
- Spectrophotometric analysis to determine selectivity and sensitivity towards Cu²⁺ and Hg²⁺ in aquatic conditions.
- Integration of RBPY into hydrogel matrices for solid-state sensing and development of portable test strips.
- Incorporation of RBPY-based sensors with Arduino microcontrollers for automated detection.
Main Results:
- RBPY demonstrated quick, highly selective, and reversible visual responses for Cu²⁺ and Hg²⁺.
- The chemosensor exhibited excellent linearity and a significant absorbance increase for quantitative analysis at trace levels.
- RBPY showed no interference from common metal ions and was successfully applied in hydrogel matrices and portable test strips.
- Automated sensors with digital readout, data logging, and remote monitoring were achieved via Arduino integration.
Conclusions:
- RBPY is a versatile and effective chemosensor for sensitive and selective detection of Cu²⁺ and Hg²⁺.
- The developed solid-state platforms and automated systems offer practical solutions for real-time environmental and biological monitoring.
- RBPY represents a promising tool for addressing the challenges of heavy metal ion detection in diverse applications.
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