A Highly Selective and Ultrasensitive Fluorescent Probe for Monitoring Hg²⁺ and Its Applications in Real Water Samples

Abstract

Mercury ions as high toxic pollutants have received wide-spread attention because of their poisonousness, persistence and enrichment. To better understand the distribution of mercury species and supplement more detailed toxicological research, it is necessary to develop some methods for monitoring mercury ions with high sensitivity and selectivity. Therefore, a simple rhodol-based highly selective fluorescent probe, RH-Hg, has been developed for monitoring Hg²⁺ with thiocarbamate as the recognition receptor. The probe RH-Hg can quantificationally detect mercury ions in aqueous solution assisted by hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), and it can discriminate Hg²⁺ through “naked-eye” observation of the color changes from light orange to dark pink. Finally, the practical applications of the probe RH-Hg in the river water further demonstrated that it will be an effective and economical tool for monitoring the distribution of Hg²⁺ in the environment.