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γ-Irradiated Chitosan Stabilized Silver Nanoparticles as Novel Colorimetric Sensors for Mercury(II) and Iron(II) Detections in Real Samples

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Abstract

This contribution presents a novel method for simple and rapid colorimetric detection of Hg(II) and Fe(II) ions in real samples using silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The AgNPs were green-synthesized in aqueous solution using γ-irradiated chitosan as a reducing and stabilizing agent. The γ-chitosan stabilized AgNPs were found to be spherical with a diameter of 11.39 ± 2.23 nm. The AgNPs are highly selective for Hg(II) and Fe(II) ions, and when Hg(II) is present in solution, the yellowish AgNPs solution is turned to light yellow, while in the presence of Fe(II) the color of the AgNPs solution is changed to dark brown. The change of solution color is proposed via (i) The reoxidation of Ag(0) in AgNPs to Ag(I) for the Hg(II) detection and (ii) The aggregation of AgNPs in solution for the Fe(II) detection. Under optimal conditions, the method exhibits good linearity from 0.5 to 5.0 ppm (r2 = 0.9965) for Hg(II) and from 0.05 to 10.0 ppm (r2 = 0.9994) for Fe(II). The limit of detections (LODs) for Hg(II) and Fe(II) analyses are 0.22 and 0.18 ppm, respectively. Tap waters spiked with both ions show excellent percentage recoveries (93.48–99.53%) with good precision (%RSD < 5%). The developed method was for the first time successfully applied to the assessment of Fe(II) contents in pharmaceutical products, and has potential to be developed as an effective detection kit for assessing Hg(II) and Fe(II) ions in real samples.

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Abbreviations

WHO:

World Health Organization

AAS/AES:

Atomic absorption/emission spectrometry

ICP-MS:

Inductively coupled plasma spectrometry

SPR:

Surface plasmon resonance

UV-Vis:

Ultraviolet-visible

FTIR:

Fourier transform infrared

TEM:

Transmission electron microscope

SEM:

Scanning electron micrographs

EDX:

Energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer

FAAS:

Flame atomic absorption spectroscopy

AOAC:

Association of Official Analytical Chemists

LOD:

Limit of detection

LOQ:

Limit of quantification

ppm:

Parts per million

SD:

Standard deviation

ND:

Not detected

ΔA:

Absorbance ratio

API:

Active pharmaceutical ingredients

γ:

Gamma

AgNPs:

Silver nanoparticles

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Nanomaterials Chemistry Research Unit, Nakhon Si Thammarat Rajabhat University, Thailand for offering the equipment support required for this project. This work is partially supported by the National Research Council of Thailand (N11A650144) chaired by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Duangjai Nacapricha. We are grateful for the financial support from Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (Public Organization). Y.T. gratefully acknowledges Asst. Prof. Dr. Parawee Rattanakit for helpful discussion.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Nakhon Si Thammarat Rajabhat University, Nakhon Si Thammarat, 80280, Thailand

    Yanisa Thepchuay, Nareerat Jommala, Prawit Nuengmatcha, Benjawan Ninwong & Naengnoi Saengsane

  2. Flow Innovation-Research for Science and Technology Laboratories (FIRST Labs), Bangkok, Thailand

    Yanisa Thepchuay

  3. KOSEN-KMITL King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Bangkok, Thailand

    Tanakorn Wonglakhon

  4. Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (Public Organization), Ongkharak, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand

    Phitchan Sricharoen

  5. Department of Premedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Bangkokthonburi University, Thawi Watthana, Bangkok, 10170, Thailand

    Phitchan Sricharoen

  6. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok, 10110, Thailand

    Nunticha Limchoowong

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  1. Yanisa Thepchuay
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Contributions

YT Conceptualization, visualization, methodology, formal analysis, project administration, writing—original draft, and writing—review & editing. NJ Investigation, formal analysis, and visualization. TW Formal analysis, visualization, and writing—review & editing. PN Writing—review & editing. BN Writing—review & editing. NS Writing—review & editing. PS Funding acquisition. NL Funding acquisition. All authors have read and agreed to the final version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Yanisa Thepchuay.

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Thepchuay, Y., Jommala, N., Wonglakhon, T. et al. γ-Irradiated Chitosan Stabilized Silver Nanoparticles as Novel Colorimetric Sensors for Mercury(II) and Iron(II) Detections in Real Samples. Arab J Sci Eng 48, 7825–7839 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-023-07894-7

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