Fluorimetric determination of mercury with a water-soluble porphyrin and porphyrin-doped sol-gel films

Potentiometric Determination of Mercury Ions by Sol-gel Synthesized Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes Zr (IV) Phosphate Composite Fabricated Membrane Electrode

Background:

The nanocomposites are formed by introducing inorganic nano-clusters, fullerenes, clays, metals, oxides with numerous organic polymers. The assembly of these materials exhibits better properties such as catalytic, thermal stability and adsorption properties, etc. than the individual materials.

Objective:

The nanocomposite synthesized here by sol-gel method was primarily evaluated for cation exchange properties viz, elution concentration, elution behavior, effect of temperature on ion-exchange capacity. The synthesized composite was used as an electro-active component for fabrication of Hg2+ ion selective membrane electrode.

Method :

The sol-gel technique was used to synthesize multi-walled carbon nanotubes Zr(IV) phosphate composite cation exchanger. By the technique of solution casting the material as an electroactive part was used for the fabrication of mercury ion-selective membrane electrode. The potential response of the electrode was also investigated as a function of membrane composition and plasticizer.

Results:

The composite cation exchanger exhibited 1.8 meq g-1 ion-exchange capacity (IEC). It retained almost 65 % of its initial IEC upto a temperature of 400 °C. Distribution studies showed the selective nature of the composite for Hg(II) ions. The ion-selective membrane electrode exhibited typical Nernstian response towards Hg2+ ions in the concentration range 1×10-1 -1×10-7 M.

Conclusion:

The results discussed reveal that a new cation composite exchanger-multi-walled carbon nanotubes Zr (IV) phosphate exhibited excellent cation exchange properties and was found to be preferentially selective towards the Hg2+ ions. It was also used as an indicator electrode in the titration of Hg2+ using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid as a titrant.

Recent Advances in Optical, Electrochemical and Field Effect pH Sensors

Although its first definition dates back to more than a century ago, pH and its measurement are still studied for improving the performance of current sensors in everyday analysis. The gold standard is the glass electrode, but its intrinsic fragility and need of frequent calibration are pushing the research field towards alternative sensitive devices and materials. In this review, we describe the most recent optical, electrochemical, and transistor-based sensors to provide an overview on the status of the scientific efforts towards pH sensing.

UV-visible and fluorescence spectroscopic assessment of meso‑tetrakis‑(4‑halophenyl) porphyrin; H2TXPP (X = F, Cl, Br, I) in THF and THF-water system: Effect of pH and aggregation behaviour

The current study determines optical and fluorescence response of halogen substituted series of meso‑tetrakis‑(4‑halophenyl) porphyrin; H₂TXPP (Halo = F, Cl, Br, I) dye in tetrahydrofuran; THF and THF-water system at changing pH in relationship with changing medium of allure. Effects produced by varying the pH and medium, over spectral and aggregation were discussed in detail. Results show sequential protonation and deprotonation of H₂TXPP series in acidic (pH = 4) and (pH =10) basic medium. Specific structural changes of monomeric absorption band were put in evidence on lowering pH, which includes broadening and splitting of soret or B band. Other changes include increasing in intensity and red-shifting of Q1 band indicating some degree of aggregation. The side-by-side aggregation and formation of J-aggregate were quite evident. The red shift of B band featured self-aggregation through head-to-tail molecular ordering which is consonant with absorption-emission data.

Recent Advances in Porphyrin-Based Materials for Metal Ions Detection

Porphyrins have planar and conjugated structures, good optical properties, and other special functional properties. Owing to these excellent properties, in recent years, porphyrins and their analogues have emerged as a multifunctional platform for chemical sensors. The rich chemistry of these molecules offers many possibilities for metal ions detection. This review mainly discusses two types of molecular porphyrin and porphyrin composite sensors for metal ions detection, because porphyrins can be functionalized to improve their functional properties, which can introduce more chemical and functional sites. According to the different application materials, the section of porphyrin composite sensors is divided into five sub-categories: (1) porphyrin film, (2) porphyrin metal complex, (3) metal–organic frameworks, (4) graphene materials, and (5) other materials, respectively.

Membrane optode for uranium(vi) preconcentration and colorimetric determination in real samples

A membrane optode formed by physical inclusion of a chromophore 2-(2-benzothiazolylazo)phenol (BTAP) and uranium(vi) anions into a plasticized cellulose triacetate (CTA) matrix was illustrated for preconcentration and colorimetric determination of U(vi) from aqueous samples.

Porphyrin-functionalized porous polysulfone membrane towards an optical sensor membrane for sorption and detection of cadmium(II)

In this study, an optical sensor membrane was prepared for sorption and detection of cadmium(II) (Cd(II)) in aqueous solution. A polyanion, poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PNaSS), was grafted onto the chloromethylated polysulfone (CMPSF) microporous membrane via surface-initiated ATRP. 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-N-methylpyridyl) porphyrin p-toluenesulfonate (TMPyP) was immobilized onto the PNaSS-grafted polysulfone (PSF-PNaSS) membrane through electrostatic interaction. The TMPyP-functionalized membrane exhibited an enhanced sorption for, and distinct color and spectral response to cadmium(II) (Cd(II)) in aqueous solution. Larger immobilization capacity of TMPyP on the membrane led to stronger sorption for Cd(II), and smaller one made the optical sensor have a faster (in minutes) and more sensitive response to the ion. The detection limit study indicated that the functional membrane with proper amount of TMPyP (<0.5 mg/g) could still have color and spectral response to Cd(II) solutions at an extreme low concentration (10(-4) mg/L). The optical sensor membrane exhibited good stability and reusability which made it efficient for various sorptive removal and detection applications.

Porphyrin-based electrostatically self-assembled multilayers as fluorescent probes for mercury(ii) ions: a study of the adsorption kinetics of metal ions on ultrathin films for sensing applications

ESAM as fluorescent probes for Hg(ii) ions were developed. The adsorption process involved in analyte-solid probe interaction was studied by monitoring fluorescence quenching.

Spiropyran-based dynamic materials

In the past few years, spiropyran has emerged as the molecule-of-choice for the construction of novel dynamic materials. This unique molecular switch undergoes structural isomerisation in response to a variety of orthogonal stimuli, e.g. light, temperature, metal ions, redox potential, and mechanical stress. Incorporation of this switch onto macromolecular supports or inorganic scaffolds allows for the creation of robust dynamic materials. This review discusses the synthesis, switching conditions, and use of dynamic materials in which spiropyran has been attached to the surfaces of polymers, biomacromolecules, inorganic nanoparticles, as well as solid surfaces. The resulting materials show fascinating properties whereby the state of the switch intimately affects a multitude of useful properties of the support. The utility of the spiropyran switch will undoubtedly endow these materials with far-reaching applications in the near future.

Optical metal-organic framework sensor for selective discrimination of some toxic metal ions in water

This paper reports the development of a facile and effective approach, based on the use of Zr-based metal-organic frameworks (UiO-66) sensor with micropores geometry, shape and particle morphology for the visual detection and removal of ultra-traces of some toxic metal ions such as Bi(III), Zn(II), Pb(II), Hg(II) and Cd(II). UiO-66 was used as selective carriers for accommodating hydrophobic chromophore probes such as dithizone (DZ) without coupling agent for sensitive and selective discrimination of trace level of toxic analytes. The developed UiO-66 sensor was utilized for the detection of ultra-traces of some toxic metal ions with the naked eye. The new sensor displays high sensitivity and selectivity of a wide range of detectable metals analytes up to 10(-10) mol dm(-3) in solution, in a rapid analyte uptake response (seconds). The developed sensor is stable, cost effective, easy to prepare, and would be useful for rapid detection and removal of ultra-traces of toxic metal ions in water samples.

A new Schiff's base ligand immobilized agarose membrane optical sensor for selective monitoring of mercury ion

A highly selective optical sensor was developed for the Hg(2+) determination by chemical immobilization of 2-[(2-sulfanylphenyl)ethanimidoyl]phenol (L), on an agarose membrane. Spectrophotometric studies of complex formation between the Schiff's base ligand L and Hg(2+), Sr(2+), Mn(2+), Cu(2+), Al(3+), Cd(2+), Zn(2+), Co(2+) and Ag(+) metal ions in methanol solution indicated a substantially larger stability constant for the mercury ion complex. Consequently, the Schiff's base L was used as an appropriate ionophore for the preparation of a selective Hg(2+) optical sensor, by its immobilization on a transparent agarose film. A distinct color change, from yellow to green-blue, was observed by contacting the sensing membrane with Hg(2+) ions at pH 4.5. The effects of pH, ionophore concentration, ionic strength and reaction time on the immobilization of L were studied. A linear relationship was observed between the membrane absorbance at 650 nm and Hg(2+) concentrations in a range from 1×10(-2) to 1×10(-5) mol L(-1) with a detection limit (3σ) of 1×10(-6) mol L(-1). No significant interference from 100 times concentrations of a number of potentially interfering ions was detected for the mercury ion determination. The optical sensor was successfully applied to the determination of mercury in amalgam alloy and spiked water samples.

A reflectance flow-through thionine sol-gel sensor for the determination of Se(IV)

In this work, a reversible sensor to assess the total Se(IV) content in samples is described. Pre-activated glass slides were spin-coated with 100 microL of a 20-h aged sol-gel mixture of 1 mL of tetramethoxysilane, 305 microL of 50 mmol L(-1) HCl and 2.0 mg of thionine. The flow-cell consisted of one of those slides as a window, and was filled with beads of a polystyrene anionic exchange resin to retain Se(IV) in the form of selenite ions. A reflectance transduction scheme at a wavelength of 596 nm was adopted. The cell was coupled to a multicommutation flow system where a programmed volume of a sample solution and 373 microL of 0.4 mmol L(-1) iodide in a 1.6 mol L(-1) HCl solution were sequentially inserted into the cell. The iodine produced from the reaction of retained Se(IV) with iodide bleached the blue color of thionine. Considering a sample volume of 2.30 mL, with which the preconcentration step was minimized, a linear dynamic working range between 1.5 to 20 microg mL(-1) and a detection limit of 0.29 microg mL(-1) were obtained. The sensor enabled us to perform approximately 200 assays, and provided results similar to those of electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry.

Sol-gel derived highly selective optical sensor for sensitive determination of the mercury(II) ion in solution

We report a versatile optical sensor by incorporating the indicator dye 4-phenyl-2,6-bis(2,3,5,6-tetrahydrobenzo[b][1,4,7]trioxononin-9-yl)pyrylium perchlorate into a sol-gel layer. The proposed optical sensor that is stable, fast and highly selective to Hg(2+) ions shows a significant absorbance signal change on exposure to an aqueous solution containing mercury(II) ion. The sensing film is able to determine mercury(II) ion in aqueous solution with a high selectivity over a wide dynamic range between 1.52x10(-9) and 1.70x10(-2)M, at pH 5, and a lower detection limit of 1.11x10(-9)M. Validation of the assay method revealed excellent performance characteristics for Hg(2+) ions over a wide variety of other metal ions, including good selectivity, long-term response stability and high reproducibility. Applications, for the direct determination of mercury(II) in real samples, gave the results with good correlation with the data obtained by using cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry.

Membrane optode for mercury(II) determination in aqueous samples

A color changeable optode for Hg(II) was prepared by the immobilization of a dye 4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol (PAR) and a liquid ion-exchanger trioctylmethylammonium chloride (Aliquat-336) in the tri-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate plasticized cellulose triacetate matrix. Hg(II) and CH(3)Hg(+) from aqueous samples could be quantitatively preconcentrated in this transparent optode producing a distinct color change (lambda(max)=520 nm) within 5 min equilibration time in bicarbonate aqueous medium or 30 min in natural water. Whereas optode sample without Aliquat-336 did not change its color corresponding to Hg-PAR complex on equilibrium with the same aqueous solution containing Hg(II) ions. The uptake of Hg(II) was found to be pH dependent with a maximum (>90%) at a pH 7.5. The uptake of ions like Cu(II), Fe(II), Zn(II) and Pb(II) was negligible in the optode where as the uptake of Cd(II) and Zn(II) ions was 10-15% at pH 7.5. The optode developed in the present work was studied for its analytical application for Hg(II) in the aqueous samples by spectrophotometry, radiotracer ((203)Hg), Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) analyses and Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA). The minimum amount of Hg(II) required to produce detectable response by spectrophotometry, INAA and EDXRF were found to be 5.5, 1 and 12 microg, respectively. This optode showed a linear increase in the absorbance at lambda(max)=520 nm over a concentration range of 0.22-1.32 microg/mL of Hg(II) ions in aqueous solution for 5 min. The preconcentration of Hg(II) from large volume of aqueous solution was used to extend the lower limit of concentration range that can be quantified by the spectrophotometry of optode. It was observed that preconcentration of 11 microg Hg(II) in 100mL (0.11 microg/mL) in aqueous samples gives a distinct color change and absorbance above 3 sigma of the blank absorbance. The optode developed in the present work was found to be reusable.

Design of fluorescent materials for chemical sensing

There is an enormous demand for chemical sensors for many areas and disciplines. High sensitivity and ease of operation are two main issues for sensor development. Fluorescence techniques can easily fulfill these requirements and therefore fluorescent-based sensors appear as one of the most promising candidates for chemical sensing. However, the development of sensors is not trivial; material science, molecular recognition and device implementation are some of the aspects that play a role in the design of sensors. The development of fluorescent sensing materials is increasingly captivating the attention of the scientists because its implementation as a truly sensory system is straightforward. This critical review shows the use of polymers, sol-gels, mesoporous materials, surfactant aggregates, quantum dots, and glass or gold surfaces, combined with different chemical approaches for the development of fluorescent sensing materials. Representative examples have been selected and they are commented here.

Amphiphilic porphyrin film on glass as a simple and selective solid-state chemosensor for aqueous Hg2+

Deposition of amphiphilic porphyrin derivatives occurs spontaneously on silanised glass surfaces, in a controlled fashion. The resulting porphyrin films show appreciable fluorescence emission. This emission can be effectively quenched by immersion of the slides into a diluted solution of Hg(2+) (microM concentration). The initial intensity can be restored by washings with a solution of N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridilmethyl)ethylenediammine with no loss of efficiency. A remarkable selectivity is featured toward the detection of Hg(2+) over Cu(2+), Cd(2+), Pb(2+) and Zn(2+) counterparts. This protocol can be extended to a flow-through apparatus. The presented results are of importance for the achievement of a solid-state chemosensor for mercuric ions, at micromolar concentration, in water.

A selective optical sensor for picric acid assay based on photopolymerization of 3-(N-methacryloyl) amino-9-ethylcarbazole

A novel optical sensor based on covalent immobilization for picric acid assay has been described. To improve the stability of the sensor, a terminal double bond was attached to the fluorescent compound, 3-amino-9-ethylcarbazole (AEC), via methacryloyl chloride. The resultant compound, 3-(N-methacryloyl) amino-9-ethylcarbazole (MAEC) was copolymerized with 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate on surface-modified quartz glass plates by UV irradiation. The resulting optical sensor (optode membrane) was used to determine picric acid based on fluorescence quenching. It shows a linear response toward picric acid in the concentration range of 9.33 x 10(-8) to 9.33 x 10(-5) mol l(-1), with rapid response, high stability and good selectivity to picric acid.

Highly Sensitive Spectrofluorometric Determination of Trace Amounts of Mercury with a New Fluorescent Reagent, 2-Hydroxy-1-naphthaldehydene-8-aminoquinoline

A new fluorescent reagent, 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehydene-8-aminoquinoline (HNAAQ), was synthesized. The fluorescent reaction of this reagent with mercury was also studied. Based on this chelation, a highly sensitive spectrofluorometric method was developed for the determination of trace amounts of mercury in a water-ethanol (5 + 1, v/v) medium at pH 8.0. Under these conditions, the Hg-HNAAQ complex has excitation and emission maxima at 406 and 445 nm, respectively. The linear range of the method is from 0 to 16 microg L(-1) and the detection limit is 0.056 microg L(-1) of mercury. The interference of other ions was studied. In order to enhance the selectivity in the determination of mercury by the present method, we also applied the separation of mercury by distillation. Thus, the selectivity of the method could be increased remarkably. The procedure can be easily performed, and affords good precision and accuracy. This method has been successfully applied to the determination of mercury in waste water and prawns.

Preparation of a novel fluorescence nanoparticles and its application in the determination of Hg(II)

The strong fluorescence 2-vinylnaphthalene and acrylic acid polymer nanoparticles have been prepared under ultrasonic radiation. Based on the fluorescence quenching of polymer by Hg(II), a method for the selective determination of Hg(II) was developed. The reaction conditions between Hg(II) and polymer were investigated in detail. The assay is very few interference stable fluorescence signals (at least 2h), simple instrument (common spectrofluorometer) and simple step. Under optimal experimental conditions, a limit of detection of 0.01 microg ml(-1) was achieved. The calibration curve was linear over the concentration range 0.04-0.1 microg ml(-1) with a correlation coefficient of 0.9927. The proposed method has been applied to the selective quantification of Hg(II) in synthetic samples with the satisfactory results.