Analytical Sciences

Rhodol-derived Colorimetric and Fluorescent Probe with the Receptor of Carbonothioate for the Specific Detection of Mercury Ions

Qingxia DUAN,* Meng ZHANG,* Chunxia SHENG,** Caiyun LIU,* Liu WU,* Zhenmin MA,* Qiang ZHAO,* Zhongpeng WANG,* and Baocun ZHU*

*School of Resources and Environment, University of Jinan, Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Ecological Carbon Sink and Capture Utilization, Jinan 250022, China
**Qufu Bureau of Agriculture, Qufu 273100, China

Developing some methods that can simply and effectively detect mercury ions (Hg²⁺) in the environment and biological systems are very important due to the problems of high toxicity and biological accumulation. Herein, we report a simple rhodol-derived colorimetric and fluorescent probe rhodol-Hg with a recognition receptor of carbonothioate for the specific determination of Hg²⁺. The color of probe rhodol-Hg solution changed remarkably from colorless to pink in the presence of Hg²⁺, thus rhodol-Hg could act as a “naked-eye” probe for Hg²⁺. Additionally, this probe exhibited high selectivity and ultrasensitivity in aqueous solution with the limit of detection (LOD) of 1.4 nM toward Hg²⁺, and the linear range was 0 – 0.8 μM determined by turn-on fluorescence spectrometry. Importantly, this probe has been successfully used for the detection of Hg²⁺ in environmental waters and living cells.

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