Multifunctional Magnetic Mesoporous Silica Nanocomposites with Improved Sensing Performance and Effective Removal Ability toward Hg(II)

In the present work, a multifunctional inorganic organic hybrid nanomaterial (MMS-Py) was prepared by the immobilization of a pyrene-based receptor (Py) within the channels of magnetic mesoporous silica nanocomposites (MMS), and characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Xray diffraction, N-2 adsorption/desorption, superconducting quantum interference device, and photoluminescence spectra. This multifunctional nanomaterial exhibits superparamagnetic behavior, ordered mesoporous characteristics, and significantly improved fluorescence sensing properties that allow for highly sensitive and reproducible Hg2+ detection. The fluorogenical responses of MMS-Py are stable over a broad pH range. A detection limit of 1.72 ppb is obtained, which is 2 orders of magnitude lower than that based on bulk mesoporous materials. Additionally, this nanomaterial shows high performance in convenient magnetic separability and efficient removal of Hg2+. These results indicate that these multifunctional nanocomposites may find potential applications for simple detection and easy removal of Hg2+ in biological, toxicological, and environmental areas.