A Method for the Highly Selective, Colorimetric and Ratiometric Detection of Hg²⁺ in a 100% Aqueous Solution

Abstract

Mercury (Hg) and its derivatives pose a serious threat to the environment and human health. Thus, the development of methods for the selective and sensitive determination of Hg²⁺ is very important to understand its distribution, and to implement more detailed toxicological studies. Herein, we developed a new method for the detection of Hg²⁺ based on the tricyanoethylene derivative and mercaptoethanol. This method could selectively detect Hg²⁺ in a 100% aqueous solution by the naked-eye within the range of 1 – 60 μM. Importantly, this method also could detect Hg²⁺ quantitatively by ratiometic absorption spectroscopy in the range of 0.1 – 6 μM with a detection limit of 55 nM. We anticipate that this proposed method will be used widely to monitor Hg²⁺ in the environment.