Jitjaroendee, T., Chanmungkalakul, S., Ervithayasuporn, V., & Kiatisevi, S. (2025). Silica‐based Materials for Mercury Detection and Removal: A Chelation‐Free Solution. Chemistry – An Asian Journal. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/asia.202401591
Abstract:
In this study, we introduce a chelation‐free approach to the dual‐functional detection and removal of Hg2+ ions using two novel silica‐based materials, AnSiO2 and PySiO2, functionalized with anthracene and pyrene, respectively. These materials were synthesized via a two‐step process involving the direct condensation of triethoxyvinylsilane onto silica gel surfaces, followed by Heck coupling with 9‐bromoanthracene and 1‐bromopyrene, respectively. They exhibit strong fluorescence emission in aqueous solutions, particularly at pH 6. Upon exposure to Hg2+ ions, both materials undergo significant fluorescence quenching, enabling sensitive and selective detection of Hg2+. PySiO2 demonstrated superior performance compared to AnSiO2, with a lower detection limit (0.29 µM) and a higher Stern‐Volmer constant (2 × 106 M−1). Additionally, PySiO2 shows a higher adsorption capacity for Hg2+, reaching 54.04 mg/g, as confirmed by ICP‐MS analysis. The sensing mechanism involves charge‐dipole and π‐electron interactions, supported by spectroscopic analyses. Reusable for four cycles, PySiO2 effectively removes Hg2+ from aquaculture water, showcasing its potential for scalable, cost‐effective, and simultaneous detection and remediation of mercury in real‐world applications.
License type:
Publisher Copyright
Funding Info:
This work was financially supported by Mahidol University (Fundamental Fund: fiscal year 2025 by National Science Research and Innovation Fund (NSRF)). We acknowledge the CIF-CNI grant, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University and the Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry (PERCH-CIC), Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation.
Description:
This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Jitjaroendee, T., Chanmungkalakul, S., Ervithayasuporn, V., & Kiatisevi, S. (2025). Silica‐based Materials for Mercury Detection and Removal: A Chelation‐Free Solution. Chemistry – An Asian Journal. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/asia.202401591, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/asia.202401591. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.