Ratiometric fluorometric determination of mercury(II) by exploiting its quenching effect on glutathione-stabilized and tetraphenylporphyrin modified gold nanoclusters.

A ratiometric fluorometric assay for mercury(II) ion is described. It is making use of glutathione-stabilized gold nanoclusters (GSH-AuNCs) modified with tetraphenylporphyrin tetrasulfonic acid (TPPS). The resultant GSH-AuNC/TPPS nanocomposite displays dual emission (at 572 and 664 nm) under a single excitation wavelength of 365 nm. Mercury(II) ion intensively quenches the yellow fluorescence of GSH-AuNCs (peaking at 572 nm) but has a negligible effect on the red fluorescence of TPPS (at 664 nm). The ratio of fluorescence intensities at 572 and 664 nm drops linearly with Hg(II) ion concentration in the 0.02-2.0 μmol·L-1 range, and the detection limit is 7 nmol·L-1 (3sb/S). The relative standard deviation (RSD) of the assay is 2.0% at a 0.5 μmol·L-1 concentration level (n = 11). The method was successfully applied to the determination of Hg(II) ion in spiked water samples, with recoveries within the range of 87.5-107.5%. Graphical abstract Ratiometric fluorescence detection of mercury(II).