Use of surface-modified CdTe quantum dots as fluorescent probes in sensing mercury (II)

Thioglycolic acid (TGA)-capped CdTe quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized in aqueous medium, and their interaction with metal cations was studied with UV–vis absorption, steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectra. The results demonstrated that Hg(II), Cu(II) and Ag(I) could effectively quench the QD emission based on different action mechanisms: Cu(II) and Ag(I) quenched CdTe QDs because they bound onto particle surface and facilitated non-radiative electron/hole recombination annihilation of QDs; electron transfer process between the capping ligands and Hg(II) was mainly responsible for the remarkable quenching effect of Hg(II). To prevent the approach of metal cations to QD core, the original TGA-capped CdTe QDs were further coated by denatured bovine serum albumin (dBSA). It was found that the dBSA-coated CdTe QDs could be quenched effectively by Hg(II), but Cu(II) and Ag(I) could hardly quench the QDs even at fairly higher concentration levels because the dBSA shell layer effectively prevented the binding of metal cations onto the QD core. On the basis of this fact, a simple, rapid and specific method for Hg(II) determination was proposed. Under optimal conditions, the quenched fluorescence intensity increased linearly with the concentration of Hg(II) ranging from 0.012 × 10−6 to 1.5 × 10−6 mol L−1. The limit of detection for Hg(II) was 4.0 × 10−9 mol L−1. The developed method was successfully applied to the detection of trace Hg(II) in real samples.