Colorimetric sensing for the sensitive detection of UO22+via the phosphorylation functionalized mesoporous silica-based controlled release system

Yating Wang; Jinquan Liu; Jiao Shi; Xiayu Zhou; Yan Tan; Zhongran Dai; Deshuai Zhen; Le Li

doi:10.1039/d3ay01281f

Colorimetric sensing for the sensitive detection of UO₂²⁺via the phosphorylation functionalized mesoporous silica-based controlled release system

Anal Methods. 2024 Feb 8;16(6):837-845. doi: 10.1039/d3ay01281f.

Authors

Yating Wang^{1

2

3}, Jinquan Liu^{1

2

3}, Jiao Shi^{1

2

3}, Xiayu Zhou^{1

2

3}, Yan Tan^{1

2

3}, Zhongran Dai⁴, Deshuai Zhen^{1

2

3}, Le Li^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Inspection and Quarantine, School of Public Health, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, People's Republic of China. letliufly@163.com.
² Hunan Key Laboratory of Typical Environment Pollution and Health Hazards, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, People's Republic of China.
³ Key Laboratory of Health Hazard Factors Inspection and Quarantine, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, Hunan, China.
⁴ Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Green Development Technology for Extremely Low-Grade Uranium Resources, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, People's Republic of China.

PMID: 38230997
DOI: 10.1039/d3ay01281f

Abstract

In this study, we developed a simple and sensitive colorimetric sensing method for the detection of UO₂²⁺, which was built to release MB from the molybdenum disulfide with a phosphate group (MoS₂-PO₄) gated mesoporous silica nanoparticles functionalized phosphate group (MSN-PO₄) with UO₂²⁺ chelating. In the presence of UO₂²⁺, MoS₂-PO₄ can be effectively adsorbed onto the surface of MSN-PO₄ based on the coordination chemistry for strong affinity between the P-O bond and UO₂²⁺. The adsorbed MoS₂-PO₄ was then utilized as an ideal gate material to control the release of signal molecules (MB) entrapped within the pores of MSN-PO₄, resulting in a detectable decrease in the absorption peak at 663 nm. This colorimetric sensing demonstrated the advantages of simplicity and easy manipulation and exhibited a linear response to the concentration of UO₂²⁺ within the range of 0.02-0.2 μM. The detection limit of UO₂²⁺ was determined to be 0.85 nM, which was lower than the limit (130 nmol L^-1) set by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Furthermore, the proposed colorimetric sensing method has been utilized to determine UO₂²⁺ in samples of Xiangjiang River and tap water, and a high recovery rate was achieved. This method shows promising potential in preventing and controlling environmental pollution.