title: A FRET chemsensor based on graphene quantum dots for detecting and intracellular imaging of Hg²⁺.
abstract: The detection of Hg(2+) has attracted considerable attention because of the serious health and environmental problems caused by it. Herein, a novel ratiometric fluorescent chemsensor (GQDs-SR) based on the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) process for detecting of Hg(2+) was designed and synthesized with rhodamine derivative covalently linked onto graphene quantum dots. In this sensor, the graphene quantum dots (GQDs) served as energy donor and the rhodamine derivative turned into an energy acceptor when encountered Hg(2+). The chemsensor exhibited high selectivity, low cytotoxicity, biocompatibility and good water solubility. The results of intracellular imaging experiment demonstrated that GQDs-SR was cell permeable and could be used for monitoring Hg(2+) in living cells, and it was also successfully applied to the detection of Hg(2+) in practical water samples.
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, No. 29 Wangjiang Road, Chengdu 610064, PR China.
authors.forename: Maoping
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, No. 29 Wangjiang Road, Chengdu, PR China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, No. 29 Wangjiang Road, Chengdu 610064, PR China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, No. 29 Wangjiang Road, Chengdu 610064, PR China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, No. 29 Wangjiang Road, Chengdu 610064, PR China.
authors.forename: Baozhan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, No. 29 Wangjiang Road, Chengdu 610064, PR China.
authors.forename: Dongmei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, No. 29 Wangjiang Road, Chengdu 610064, PR China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, No. 29 Wangjiang Road, Chengdu 610064, PR China; College of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University, No. 29 Wangjiang Road, Chengdu, PR China. Electronic address: xiaodan@scu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D031541:Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry; D006108:Graphite / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D045663:Quantum Dots / Q000737:chemistry; D012235:Rhodamines / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D012235:Rhodamines; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D006108:Graphite; D008628:Mercury; C029773:rhodamine B
keywords: Graphene quantum dots; Hg(2+); Living cell; Ratiometric fluorescent chemsensor