A sensitive and selective “turn-on” fluorescent probe for Hg2+ based on thymine–Hg2+–thymine complex with an aggregation-induced emission feature

Abstract

A fluorescent turn-on approach for the sensitive and selective sensing of Hg²⁺ based on an aggregation-induced emission fluorescent molecule (DSA-T₂) containing 9,10-distyrylanthracene as a fluorophore and thymine as a Hg²⁺ receptor, was developed. Under optimum conditions, a linear relationship (R² = 0.9894) was obtained between the fluorescent intensity and the concentration of Hg²⁺ from 7 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹ to 1 × 10⁻⁵ mol L⁻¹. The theoretical detection limit of Hg²⁺ was evaluated to be 3.4 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹. And the selectivity towards Hg²⁺ was good compared to other metal ions.