title: Multimodal use of new coumarin-based fluorescent chemosensors: towards highly selective optical sensors for Hg(2+) probing.
abstract: Despite several types of fluorescent sensing molecules have been proposed and examined to signal Hg(2+) ion binding, the development of fluorescence-based devices for in-field Hg(2+) detection and screening in environmental and industrial samples is still a challenging task. Herein, we report the synthesis and characterization of three new coumarin-based fluorescent chemosensors featuring mixed thia/aza macrocyclic framework as receptors units, that is, ligands L1-L3. These probes revealed an OFF-ON selective response to the presence of Hg(2+) ions in MeCN/H2 O 4:1 (v/v), which allowed imaging of this metal ion in Cos-7 cells in vitro. Once included in silica core-polyethylene glycol (PEG) shell nanoparticles or supported on polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-based polymeric membranes, ligands L1-L3 can also selectively sense Hg(2+) ions in pure water. In particular we have developed an optical sensing array tacking advantage of the fluorescent properties of ligand L3 and based on the computer screen photo assisted technique (CSPT). In the device ligand L3 is dispersed into PVC membranes and it quantitatively responds to Hg(2+) ions in natural water samples.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica "Ugo Shiff", Università di Firenze, Polo Scientifico, Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Firenze (Italy).
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bazzicalupi
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caltagirone
authors.forename: Zenfeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Qibin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Natale
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garau
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lippolis
authors.forename: Larisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lvova
authors.forename: Honglai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ingemar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lundström
authors.forename: M Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Mostallino
authors.forename: Mattia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nieddu
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paolesse
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Prodi
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sgarzi
authors.forename: Nelsi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zaccheroni
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019556:COS Cells; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D003374:Coumarins / Q000737:chemistry*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry*; D007477:Ions / Q000737:chemistry; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D011143:Polyvinyl Chloride / Q000737:chemistry; D011789:Quantum Theory; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D003374:Coumarins; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007477:Ions; D014867:Water; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011143:Polyvinyl Chloride; C030123:coumarin; D008628:Mercury
keywords: coumarins; fluorescent probes; mercury; nanoparticles; sensors