Apparatus and methods for methyl mercury detection and capture
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsJennifer Lu, William Spaller
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Abstract
Devices, systems and methods for the detection and capture of mercury and methyl-mercury from aqueous sources are provided. The devices and methods are based on a polymer platform with thiol or sulfide moieties and phenol moieties capped with an acid labile protected with an acid labile cap. Capture of the Hg or MeHg by the thiol groups releases a proton that will subsequently catalyze the cleaving of the cap that also produces a proton so that one capture event can result in a cascade of deprotonaton reactions enhancing the detection limit. The polymer in solution can be detected and quantified. The thiol binding will also permanently remove the Hg or MeHg from the solution. The platform can be adapted to a portable handheld device.
Claims10
A mercury or methyl-mercury capture material, comprising:
- (a) a polymer surface with exposed thiol or sulfide moieties and phenol moieties, said phenol moieties capped with an acid labile acetal group;
- (b) wherein binding of Hg or MeHg with a thiol group releases a proton;
- (c) wherein said released proton is configured to catalyze separation of the acid labile acetal group from the phenol moieties and releasing a second proton;
- and
- (d) wherein separation of the cap changes polymer solubility.
A mercury or methyl-mercury capture material, comprising:
- (a) a substrate;
- (b) a polymer surface disposed on the substrate, said polymer surface with exposed thiol or sulfide moieties and phenol moieties, said phenol moieties capped with an acid labile acetal group selected from the group consisting of tetrahydropyran (THP) and ethyl vinyl ether (EVE);
- (c) wherein binding of Hg or MeHg with a thiol group releases a proton;
- (d) wherein said released proton is configured to catalyze separation of the acid labile acetal group from the phenol moieties and releasing a second proton;
- and
- (e) wherein separation of the cap changes polymer solubility.
A mercury or methyl-mercury capture material, comprising:
- (a) an SiO2 wafer substrate;
- (b) a polymer surface disposed on the substrate, said polymer surface with exposed thiol or sulfide moieties and phenol moieties, said phenol moieties capped with tetrahydropyran (THP) or ethyl vinyl ether (EVE);
- (c) wherein binding of Hg or MeHg with a thiol group releases a proton;
- (d) wherein said released proton is configured to catalyze separation of the acid labile acetal group from the phenol moieties and releasing a second proton;
- and
- (e) wherein separation of the cap changes polymer solubility.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.