Colorimetric detection of mercury(II) in a high-salinity solution using gold nanoparticles capped with 3-mercaptopropionate acid and adenosine monophosphate

A new colorimetric sensor for sensing Hg2+ in a high-salinity solution has been developed using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) decorated with 3-mercaptopropionate acid (MPA) and adenosine monophosphate (AMP). Because of the high negative charge density of AMP on each AuNP surface, MPA/AMP-capped AuNPs are well dispersed in a high-salt solution. In contrast, the aggregation of MPA-capped AuNPs was induced by sodium ions, which shield the negative charges of the carboxylic groups of MPA. Through the coordination between the carboxylic group of MPA and Hg2+, the selectivity of MPA/AMP-capped AuNPs for Hg2+ in a high-salt solution is remarkably high over that of the other metals without the addition of a masking agent or a change in the temperature. We have carefully investigated the effect of the AMP concentration on the stability and sensitivity of MPA/AMP-capped AuNPs. Under optimum conditions, the lowest detectable concentration of Hg2+ using this probe was 500 nM on the basis of the measurement of the ratio of absorption at 620 nm to that at 520 nm. The sensitivity to Hg2+ can be further improved by modifying the MPA/AMP-capped AuNPs with highly fluorescent rhodamine 6G (R6G). By monitoring the fluorescence enhancement, the lowest detectable concentration of Hg2+ using R6G/MPA/AMP-capped AuNPs was 50 nM.