Fluorescent switch for fast and selective detection of mercury (II) ions in vitro and in living cells and a simple device for its removal.
A water-soluble, biocompatible, and fluorescent chemosensor (1) for label-free, simple, and fast detection of mercury ions (Hg(2+)) in aqueous solutions and in HepG2 cells with high selectivity is reported herein. Chelation of 1 with Hg(2+) results in the disappearance of its fluorescence emission at 350 nm and the appearance of a new emission at 405 nm. Selectivity and interference studies indicated that 1 could be selectively chelated by Hg(2+) without interference from other metal ions. Insight into the mechanisms responsible for its fluorescence effect was gained from ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy. With these properties, 1 was successfully applied for imaging Hg(2+) in living cells and for removing Hg(2+) from river water. Moreover, we also constructed a simple device for fast and effective removal of Hg(2+) from contaminated liquid samples.
CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui 230026, China.
Yue
Y
Yuan
Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
Shenlong
S
Jiang
CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui 230026, China.
Qingqing
Q
Miao
Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China.
Jia
J
Zhang
CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui 230026, China.
Mengjing
M
Wang
CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui 230026, China.
Linna
L
An
CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui 230026, China.
Qinjingwen
Q
Cao
Key Laboratory of Separation Sciences for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China.
Yafeng
Y
Guan
Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China. Electronic address: qunzh@ustc.edu.cn.
Qun
Q
Zhang
CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui 230026, China. Electronic address: gliang@ustc.edu.cn.
Gaolin
G
Liang
D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D002138:Calibration; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004867:Equipment Design; D005453:Fluorescence; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007477:Ions / Q000032:analysis*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D002614:Chelating Agents; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007477:Ions; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury
Cell imaging; Fluorescence switch; Mercury (II) detection; Mercury (II) removal; Selectivity