Visual test of subparts per billion-level mercuric ion with a gold nanoparticle probe after preconcentration by hollow fiber supported liquid membrane.
With the combination of the gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-based visual test with hollow fiber supported liquid membrane (HFSLM) extraction, a highly sensitive and selective method was developed for field detection of mercuric ion (Hg(2+)) in environmental waters. Hg(2+) in water samples was extracted through HFSLM and trapped in the aqueous acceptor and then visually detected based on the red-to-blue color change of 3-mercaptopropionic acid-functionalized AuNP (MPA-AuNP) probe. The highest extraction efficiency of Hg(2+) was obtained by using a 600 mL sample (pH 8.0, 2.0% (w/v) NaCl), approximately 35 microL of acceptor (10 mM of 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid, pH 4.0) filled in the lumen of a polypropylene hollow fiber tubing (55 cm in length, 50 microm wall thickness, 280 microm inner diameter), a liquid membrane of 2.0% (w/v) trioctycphosphine oxide in undecane, and a shaking rate of 250 rpm. The chromegenic reaction was conducted by incubating the mixture of MPA-AuNP stock solution (12 microL, 15 nM), Tris-borate buffer solution (18 microL, 0.2 M, pH 9.5), and acceptor (30 microL) at 30 degrees C for 1 h. The detection limit can be adjusted to 0.8 microg/L Hg(2+) (corresponding to an enrichment factor of approximately 1000 in the HFSLM) and 2.0 microg/L Hg(2+) (the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency limit of [Hg(2+)] for drinkable water) by using extraction times of 3 and 1 h, respectively. The proposed method is extremely specific for Hg(2+) with tolerance to at least 1000-fold of other environmentally relevant heavy and transition metal ions and was successfully applied to detect Hg(2+) in a certified reference water sample, as well as real river, lake, and tap water samples.
Tan
Zhi-qiang
ZQ
State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 2871, Beijing 100085, China.
Liu
Jing-fu
JF
D015097:3-Mercaptopropionic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D057230:Limit of Detection; D008628:Mercury / Q000737:chemistry*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010848:Picolinic Acids; D011725:Pyridines / Q000737:chemistry; D012997:Solvents; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
D010848:Picolinic Acids; D011725:Pyridines; D012997:Solvents; D014867:Water; D006046:Gold; D015097:3-Mercaptopropionic Acid; D008628:Mercury; C004860:dipicolinic acid