title: A non-aggregation spectrometric determination for mercury ions based on gold nanoparticles and thiocyanuric acid.
abstract: We provide a highly sensitive and selective colorimetric assay to detect mercury ions (Hg(2+)) in aqueous environment using thiocyanuric acid (TCA) molecule-functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). This method is based on the thiophilicity of Hg(2+) and AuNPs as well as the unique optical properties of TCA-functionalized AuNPs. In the presence of TCA, AuNPs aggregate due to the strong attraction between thiol groups of TCA and surface-bounded AuCl4(-)/AuCl2(-) ions, which induces the visible color change from red to blue. With the addition of Hg(2+), Hg(2+) is more apt to interact with thiols than AuNPs. Thus, Hg(2+) can remove the AuNPs of the TCA-functionalized AuNPs and trigger AuNP aggregation redisperse again. This assay can selectively detect Hg(2+) with the detection limits as low as 0.5 nM in aqueous solution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China. Electronic address: czb979216@sina.com.
authors.forename: Zhengbo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China.
authors.forename: Chenmeng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China.
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China.
authors.forename: Tianhui
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China.
authors.forename: Bei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China.
authors.forename: Miao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Beijing, 100048, China.
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
keywords: Colorimetric; Gold nanoparticles; Mercury ion; Thiocyanuric acid