Colorimetric Chemosensor for Hg2+ Based on Nuclear Fast Red and a Cationic Polyelectrolyte in Aqueous Solution

Yasumasa Fukushima; Shunichi Aikawa

doi:10.1007/s10895-019-02482-1

Colorimetric Chemosensor for Hg²⁺ Based on Nuclear Fast Red and a Cationic Polyelectrolyte in Aqueous Solution

J Fluoresc. 2020 Jan;30(1):175-180. doi: 10.1007/s10895-019-02482-1. Epub 2020 Jan 6.

Authors

Yasumasa Fukushima¹, Shunichi Aikawa²

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Science and Engineering, Toyo University, 2100 Kujirai, Kawagoe, Saitama, 350-8585, Japan. fukusima_m@toyo.jp.
² Research Institute of Industrial Technology, Toyo University, 2100 Kujirai, Kawagoe, Saitama, 350-8585, Japan.

PMID: 31907739
DOI: 10.1007/s10895-019-02482-1

Abstract

We have developed a colorimetric chemosensor based on an anionic organic dye, commercially available nuclear fast red (NFR) and a cationic polyelectrolyte, poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) for detection of Hg²⁺ in aqueous solution at physiological conditions. Upon addition of Hg²⁺, a bathchromic shift in the absorption was observed concomitantly with color change from pink to reddish violet which was easily detectable by the naked eye, while such a change was not observed for NFR alone, indicating that PDADMAC played an important role in detecting Hg²⁺. This investigation can propose the simple and valuable construction method for a novel chemosensor by mixture of a water-soluble organic dye and an oppositely charged polyelectrolyte.

Keywords: Chemosensor; Colorimetric detection; Mercury ion; Polyelectrolyte.