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Colorimetric determination of aluminum(III) based on the aggregation of Schiff base-functionalized gold nanoparticles

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Abstract

The authors describe a colorimetric method for the determination of Al(III) using surface modified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Citrate capped AuNPs were functionalized, by self-assembly, with the Schiff base obtained from 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde and 2-aminoethanethiol. The modified AuNPs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and FTIR. Complexation of Al(III) ions by the Schiff base on the AuNPs results in self-aggregation of the AuNPs which is accompanied by a color change from red to blue which can be monitored visually or by UV–vis spectroscopy. Absorbance varies linearly with the Al(III) concentration in the range from 9 to 23 μM, and the lower detection limit is 0.29 μM (at 3 So/k). The method was applied to the determination of Al(III) in (spiked) samples of boiler water and urine.

A colorimetric method for the determination of Al(III) using Schiff base-functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) is developed based on the complexation of Al(III) leading to the aggregation of the AuNPs and a color change from red to blue.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support by Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 21365014, 21505067), Jiangxi Province Natural Science Foundation (JXNSF no. 20132BAB203011), and Doctoral Start-up Funding of Nanchang University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Chemistry, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China

    Pengcheng Huang, Jianfang Li, Xin Liu & Fangying Wu

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  1. Pengcheng Huang
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  2. Jianfang Li
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  3. Xin Liu
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  4. Fangying Wu
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Correspondence to Fangying Wu.

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Huang, P., Li, J., Liu, X. et al. Colorimetric determination of aluminum(III) based on the aggregation of Schiff base-functionalized gold nanoparticles. Microchim Acta 183, 863–869 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-015-1734-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-015-1734-y

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