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Monolayer g-C3N4 Fluorescent Sensor for Sensitive and Selective Colorimetric Detection of Silver ion from Aqueous Samples

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Abstract

Rapid and sensitive detection of heavy-metal ions in natural water environments worldwide is urgently needed because of their severe threats to human health. In the present work, monolayer graphite-like flake C3N4 (g-C3N4) materials were applied as a new fluorescent sensor for the detection of trace silver ion in aqueous solution. The thickness of synthesized g-C3N4 was 0.45 nm and obtained by exfoliating twice with ultrasonic. With the presence of ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid as a screening agent, the highly sensitive sensor reached a low detection limit of 52.3 nmol/L for silver (I) ion and there was no disturbance when silver (I) ion coexisted with other metal ions in water samples. Under the optimal conditions, the monolayer g-C3N4 was successfully used to detect trace silver (I) ion in different environmental water and drinking water samples.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Dr. Xiao-hua Xiao from Sun Yat-sen University for his helpful advice. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.21275056).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemistry and Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Yujuan Cao, Wei Wu, Song Wang, Hong Peng, Xiaogang Hu & Ying Yu

  2. Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Biomedicine, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Yujuan Cao, Xiaogang Hu & Ying Yu

Authors
  1. Yujuan Cao
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  2. Wei Wu
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  3. Song Wang
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  4. Hong Peng
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  5. Xiaogang Hu
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  6. Ying Yu
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Correspondence to Yujuan Cao.

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Cao, Y., Wu, W., Wang, S. et al. Monolayer g-C3N4 Fluorescent Sensor for Sensitive and Selective Colorimetric Detection of Silver ion from Aqueous Samples. J Fluoresc 26, 739–744 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10895-016-1764-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10895-016-1764-9

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