Preparation a novel pyrene-based AIE-active ratiometric turn-on fluorescent probe for highly selective and sensitive detection of Hg2+

Pyren-DT, as an AIE material, is facile prepared for detecting Hg2+ in aqueous. The obtained Pyren-DT sample is characterized via LC-MS and (HNMR)-H-1. Pyren-DT shows admirable an aggregation induced fluorescent emission (AIE) character in DMF-H2O mixture solvent with the water volume fraction (f(w)) beyond 80%. With the fw given at 70%, Pyren-DT probe presents turn-on fluorescent probe property with fluorescent intensity at 462 nm reliably positive linear with concentration of Hg2+. The LOD of the probe reaches 2.88 x 10(-8) mol.L-1. The Pyren-DT probe shows good selectivity and sensibility towards Hg2+ and strong anti-interference towards some cations and anions. Pyrene-1-carbaldehyde is produced by the reaction between Pyren-DT and Hg2+. In the detection of real water samples, the probe shows better fluorescence characteristics in the system of river water samples rather than in the tap water samples for detecting mercury ion.