title: Sensitive and selective detection of mercury (II) based on the aggregation of gold nanoparticles stabilized by riboflavin.
abstract: Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) can be stabilized by riboflavin against tris buffer-induced aggregation. However, in the presence of mercury (II) (Hg2+), riboflavin can be released from the AuNPs surface and the riboflavin-Hg2+ complex formed, leading to the aggregation of AuNPs in tris buffer. The aggregation extent depends on the concentration of Hg2+. Based on the aggregation extent, a simple and sensitive method of determining Hg2+ is developed. The method enables the detection of Hg2+ over the concentration range of 0.02-0.8 microM, with a detection limit (3sigma) of 14 nM, and shows excellent selectivity for Hg2+ over other metal ions (Cu2+, Co2+, Cd2+, Pb2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, Ag+, Ce3+, Ca2+, Al3+, K+). More importantly, the method avoids complicated surface modifications and tedious separation processes.
authors: Department of Chemistry, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, PR China.
authors: Dan
authors: D
authors: Xu
authors: Hua Wen
authors: HW
authors: Zhao
authors: Cheng Zhi
authors: CZ
authors: Huang
authors: Li Ping
authors: LP
authors: Wu
authors: Wen Dan
authors: WD
authors: Pu
authors: Jia Jia
authors: JJ
authors: Zheng
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Zuo
mesh_terms: D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D057230:Limit of Detection; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000737:chemistry*; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
chemical_list: D006046:Gold; D008628:Mercury; D012256:Riboflavin