Development of a specific and highly sensitive optical chemical sensor for determination of Hg(II) based on a new synthesized ionophore

A novel optode for determination of Hg(II) ions is developed based on immobilization of a recently synthesized ionophore, 7-(1H-imidazol-1-ylmethyl)-5,6,7,8,9,10-hexahydro-2H-1,13,4,7,10 benzodioxatriaza cyclopentadecine-3,11(4H,12H)-dione, in a PVC membrane. Dioctyl sebacate was used as a plasticizer, sodium tetraphenylborate as an anionic additive and ETH5294 as a chromoionophore. The response of the optode was based on the complexation of Hg(II) with the ionophore in the membrane phase, resulting an ion exchange process between Hg(II) in the sample solution and H+ in the membrane. The effects of pH and amounts of the ionophore, chromoionophore, ionic additive and type of plasticizer on the optode response were investigated. The selectivity of the optode was studied in the present of several cations. The optode has a linear response to Hg(II) in the range of 7.2 × 10− 13–4.7 × 10− 4 mol L− 1 with detection limit of 0.18 pmol L− 1. The optode was successfully applied to the determination of Hg(II) in real samples.