Author(s)

Arsenio Muñoz de la Peña, María Isabel Rodríguez-Cáceres, Diego Bohoyo Gil, María del Carmen Mahedero, María del Carmen Hurtado-Sánchez, Reyes Babiano

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The fluorescent characteristics of a fluorimetric chemosensor for mercuric ion, Hg2+, employing a synthesized Rhodamine 6G derivative, have been analyzed. For that, a portable spectrofluorimeter composed of a 515 nm LED as excitation source, two fiber-optics and a CCD camera as detector, has been used, intended for “in situ” analysis. A highly selective Rhodamine based probe for Hg2+, that is water soluble and gives a positive response upon analyte binding, is reported. The reagent is bearing a monothiospirolactone group in a Rhodamine 6G architecture and the thiol atom served for the direct attack of thiophilic Hg2+. The fluorescence enhancement is attributed to the spirolactone ring opening and the coordination of two sulphur atoms to Hg2+ giving a 2:1 reagent: Hg2+ stoichiometry complex.

Chemosensor, LED, Mercuric Ion, Water Analysis

A. Peña, M. Rodríguez-Cáceres, D. Gil, M. Mahedero, M. Hurtado-Sánchez and R. Babiano, "Determination of Mercuric Ion in Water Samples with a LED Exciting and CCD Based Portable Spectrofluorimeter," American Journal of Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 2 No. 5, 2011, pp. 605-611. doi: 10.4236/ajac.2011.25068.