title: Ultrasensitive, rapid, and selective detection of mercury using graphene assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry.
abstract: We report an extremely sensitive and specific detection of mercuric ions (Hg²⁺) based on graphene assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (GALDI-MS). Combining the highly selective coordination interactions between thymine (T) and Hg²⁺, we present a simple, effective, and novel approach, based on π-π interactions of the T-Hg²⁺-T complex and G that can serve as a platform and matrix for GALDI-MS. The present sensor not only exhibits high selectivity and sensitivity (picomolar) to Hg²⁺ in aqueous solution, but also can elucidate the chemical structures of the metal complexes. The significant advantage in the current approach is that there is no need for a sophisticated instrument, and no sample pretreatment is required to detect the Hg²⁺ ions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hani Nasser
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Abdelhamid
authors.forename: Hui-Fen
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D056831:Coordination Complexes / Q000737:chemistry*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry*; D007202:Indicators and Reagents / Q000737:chemistry*; D057230:Limit of Detection; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D017669:Mercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D008832:Microchemistry / Q000379:methods; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D015394:Molecular Structure; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012995:Solubility; D018629:Spectrometry, Mass, Secondary Ion; D013941:Thymine / Q000737:chemistry*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D056831:Coordination Complexes; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D017669:Mercury Compounds; D006108:Graphite; D008628:Mercury; D013941:Thymine