Aggregation-induced chemiluminescence system for sensitive detection of mercury ions

As mercury ions (Hg2+) are emanated to surroundings in the course of various natural events and human activities, an accurate sensing of Hg2+ is essential for human health and environmental protection. Herein, a new aggregation-induced chemiluminescence (CL) sensor for fast, sensitive, and selective detection of Hg2+ is developed, based on the CL enhancement of bis(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)oxalate (TCPO)-H2O2 system by thiolate-protected gold complexes (Au(I)-thiolate complexes) in the aggregated state. Because Hg2+ has a strong interaction with hydrosulfuryl (-SH) groups in Au(I)-thiolate complexes, the aggregation is disrupted and the CL is quenched. The decrease of CL intensity is proportional to Hg2+ contents with a linear range of 0.005-10 mu g mL(-1 )and the limit of detection (LOD) is 3 ng mL(-1). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first AIE CL sensor for Hg2+ detection. The study opens up attractive perspectives for developing simple and rapid aggregation-induced CL methods in monitoring heavy metals.

Automated summary

The study introduces a novel aggregation-induced chemiluminescence (CL) sensor for accurate detection of mercury ions (Hg2+), which offers fast, sensitive, and selective capabilities. By utilizing the interaction between thiolate-protected gold complexes and Hg2+, the sensor demonstrates a linear detection range from 0.005 to 10 μg mL(-1) with a limit of detection of 3 ng mL(-1), showcasing promising prospects for simple and rapid monitoring of heavy metals.