Mercury sensor and methods of use
AssigneeDuquesne University of the Holy Ghost
InventorsPartha BASU, Igor PIMKOV, Kristine DEIBLER
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Abstract
The invention relates to non-fluorescent or low-fluorescent compounds for contact with mercury ions to produce fluorescent compounds as a detector for mercury. The fluorescence produced by the contact of the non-fluorescent or low-fluorescent compounds with mercury ions has an intensity greater than the intensity produced by the contact of the non-fluorescent or low-fluorescent compounds with other metals. The fluorescent compounds may be used as sensors/detectors for mercury ions in various samples. Methods for detecting and calculating the concentration of mercury ions in samples are also disclosed.
Claims19
A non-fluorescent or low-fluorescent compound for contact with mercury ions, represented by a structure of Formula I:
- wherein R1 and R2 may each independently be hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, amino C1-C6 alkyl, hydroxy C1-C6 alkyl, thio C1-C6 alkyl, carboxyl C1-C6 alkyl, halo C1-C6 alkyl, phenyl, substituted phenyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, or substituted heteroaryl and the substituted phenyl, aryl, or heteroaryl may have from 1 to 5 substituents wherein each substituent may be one or more of fluoro, chloro, bromo, nitro, cyano, hydroxy, amino, thiol, C1-C6 alkyl, amino C1-C6 alkyl, hydroxy C1-C6 alkyl, thio C1-C6 alkyl, carboxyl C1-C6 alkyl, halo C1-C6 alkyl, and C1-C6 alkoxy.
A fluorescent compound as a detector for mercury, represented by a structure of Formula II:
- wherein R1 and R2 may each independently be hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, amino C1-C6 alkyl, hydroxy C1-C6 alkyl, thio C1-C6 alkyl, carboxyl C1-C6 alkyl, halo C1-C6 alkyl, phenyl, substituted phenyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, or substituted heteroaryl and the substituted phenyl, aryl, or heteroaryl may have from 1 to 5 substituents wherein each substituent may be one or more of fluoro, chloro, bromo, nitro, cyano, hydroxy, amino, thiol, C1-C6 alkyl, amino C1-C6 alkyl, hydroxy C1-C6 alkyl, thio C1-C6 alkyl, carboxyl C1-C6 alkyl, halo C1-C6 alkyl, and C1-C6 alkoxy.
A method for detecting mercury in a composition, comprising:
- providing a mercury sensor, comprising a non-fluorescent or low-fluorescent compound represented by a structure of Formula I:
- contacting the mercury sensor of the Formula I with the composition;
- when mercury in the composition is in contact with the compound of Formula I, producing a fluorescent compound represented by a structure of Formula II:
- and
- measuring a fluorescence emission intensity of the fluorescent compound,
- wherein R1 and R2 may each independently be hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, amino C1-C6 alkyl, hydroxy C1-C6 alkyl, thio C1-C6 alkyl, carboxyl C1-C6 alkyl, halo C1-C6 alkyl, phenyl, substituted phenyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, or substituted heteroaryl and the substituted phenyl, aryl, or heteroaryl may have from 1 to 5 substituents wherein each substituent may be one or more of fluoro, chloro, bromo, nitro, cyano, hydroxy, amino, thiol, C1-C6 alkyl, amino C1-C6 alkyl, hydroxy C1-C6 alkyl, thio C1-C6 alkyl, carboxyl C1-C6 alkyl, halo C1-C6 alkyl, and C1-C6 alkoxy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.