Determination of Trace Levels of Cu(II) or Hg(II) in Water Samples by a Thiourea-based Fluorescent Probe

Abstract

A fluorescent dye, 9-anthraldehyde-thiosemicarbazone (AnthT), used for the determination of Cu(II) or Hg(II) in aqueous solutions, is described. The fluorescence intensity of the probe decreased with increasing concentration of Cu(II) or Hg(II), and was proportional to a certain concentration of Cu(II) or Hg(II). The prepared sensing system presented satisfactory sensitivity and low detection limits. The developed method was successfully employed for preliminary application in natural water and domestic sewage.