Issue 50, 2017, Issue in Progress

Selective and colorimetric detection of Ba2+ ions in aqueous solutions using 11-mercaptoundecylphosphonic acid functionalized gold nanoparticles

Abstract

In this paper we describe a simple colorimetric method for the sensitive and selective detection of Ba2+ ions, using 11-mercaptoundecylphosphonic acid functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs–MPA) in aqueous solution. With increasing concentration, Ba2+ ions induced aggregation of AuNPs–MPA, causing a change in color of the colloidal solution from pink to blue. The detection result was monitored using the naked eye and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The maximum absorption was located at 625 nm. The stability of AuNPs–MPA and detection of Ba2+ by AuNPs–MPA was investigated at different pH values (pH = 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12). Results indicated that AuNPs–MPA at pH 6 were the optimal choice for detecting Ba2+ ions. The detection limit for Ba2+ was found to be 43.27 μmol L−1 (R2 = 0.9901) within a range of 20–120 μmol L−1. In addition, the selectivity of this method was investigated using other metal ions. The AuNPs–MPA was selective for Ba2+ compared with other metal ions (Li+, Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+, Mn2+, Fe2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Hg2+, Sb3+, Bi3+) leading to a remarkable color change. Moreover, the developed cost-effective probe has been successfully applied to real drinking and tap water samples which demonstrated the potential for field applications.

Graphical abstract: Selective and colorimetric detection of Ba2+ ions in aqueous solutions using 11-mercaptoundecylphosphonic acid functionalized gold nanoparticles

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
04 Apr 2017
Accepted
08 Jun 2017
First published
21 Jun 2017
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

RSC Adv., 2017,7, 31611-31618

Selective and colorimetric detection of Ba2+ ions in aqueous solutions using 11-mercaptoundecylphosphonic acid functionalized gold nanoparticles

B. A. García Grajeda, S. G. Soto Acosta, S. A. Aguila, H. P. Guevara, M. E. Díaz-García, A. C. Enríquez and J. J. Campos-Gaxiola, RSC Adv., 2017, 7, 31611 DOI: 10.1039/C7RA03861E

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