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Green Chemical Synthesis of N-Cholyl-L-Cysteine Encapsulated Gold Nanoclusters for Fluorometric Detection of Mercury Ions

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Abstract

Herein we report a simple, single-step, cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and biocompatible approach using sodium salt of N-cholyl-L-cysteine (NaCysC) capped gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) with green emission properties at above the CMC in aqueous medium under UV-light irradiation. The primary and secondary CMC of NaCysC was found to be 4.6 and 10.7 mM respectively using pyrene as fluorescent probe. The synthesized AuNCs exhibit strong emission maxima at 520 nm upon excitation at 375 nm with a large Stokes shift of 145 nm. The surface functionality and morphology of NCs are studied by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, dymanic light scattering studies and transmission electron microscopy. The formation of AuNCs was completed within 5 h and exhibit high stability for more than 6 months. The NaCysC templated AuNCs selectively quenches the Hg2+ ions with higher sensitivity in aqueous solution over the other metal ions. The fluorescence analysis of Hg2+ showed a wide linear range from 15 to 120 µM and a detection limit was found to be 15 nM.

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The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author. (JK) upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

Dr. J.Kasthuri is thankful to the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), under the scheme of Teachers Association for Research Excellence (SERB-TARE /2019/ 000111), Govt. of India, for providing financial assistance.

Funding

This work is supported by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), under the scheme of Teachers Association for Research Excellence (SERB-TARE /2019/ 000111), Govt. of India.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Quaid-E-Millath Government College for Women (Autonomous), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600 002, India

    Jayapalan Kasthuri

  2. Catalysis Science Laboratory, CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute, Adyar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600020, India

    Arumugam Sivasamy

  3. Department of Polymer Science, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600025, India

    Nagappan Rajendiran

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  1. Jayapalan Kasthuri
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Correspondence to Jayapalan Kasthuri.

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Kasthuri, J., Sivasamy, A. & Rajendiran, N. Green Chemical Synthesis of N-Cholyl-L-Cysteine Encapsulated Gold Nanoclusters for Fluorometric Detection of Mercury Ions. J Fluoresc 32, 1347–1356 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10895-022-02935-0

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