title: A turn-on fluorescent sensor for zinc and cadmium ions based on perylene tetracarboxylic diimide.
abstract: In this paper, we describe a turn-on fluorescent probe for Zn(2+) and Cd(2+) ion detection and discrimination. This probe, N'-bis-(N,N-di-(2-pyridylmethyl)-ethane-1,2-diamine)-perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic-diimide (PDI-DIDPA), exhibits very low fluorescence at pH above 6.0 due to the photo-induced electron transfer (PET) process from 2-pyridylmethyl-amine (DPA) to perylene tetracarboxylic diimide (PDI). Zn(2+) and Cd(2+) can chelate PDI-DIDPA to form a stable complex at pH 6.0-7.0 and 9.0 respectively, and inhibit the PET process, which result in the fluorescence recovery of PDI-DIDPA. This fluorescence turn-on behavior allows the detection of Zn(2+) in the range of 0.1-4.0 μM and Cd(2+) in the range of 0.1-5.0 μM. The limit of detection for Zn(2+) and Cd(2+) is as low as 32 nM and 48 nM. The high selectivity, high sensitivity and easy operation make this probe suitable for the rapid detection of Zn(2+) and Cd(2+) respectively. The different response of PDI-DIDPA to Zn(2+) and Cd(2+) at different pH makes it possible to discriminate Zn(2+) and Cd(2+) by simply adjusting the pH of the working solution.
authors.affiliation: Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
authors.forename: Xiangjun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Tianjun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Canliang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Dihua
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shangguan
mesh_terms: D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis*; D004579:Electron Transport; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007094:Imides / Q000737:chemistry*; D007477:Ions / Q000737:chemistry; D008027:Light; D010569:Perylene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D007094:Imides; D007477:Ions; C517085:perylenetetracarboxylic diimide; D002104:Cadmium; D010569:Perylene; D015032:Zinc