Application of Gold-Nanocluster-Based Fluorescent Sensors for Highly Sensitive and Selective Detection of Cyanide in Water

Abstract

Cyanide is a highly toxic substance and can invade the human body through many routes. Nevertheless, cyanide is still used in many practical fields. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop highly sensitive and selective sensing systems for the detection of cyanide in the environment, especially in water and biological samples. To overcome the problems of currently studied cyanide sensors such as poor water solubility, poor selectivity, and complex preparation procedures, we develop an innovative gold nanocluster-based fluorescent sensor for cyanide in aqueous solutions. Owing to the unique Elsner reaction between cyanide and the gold atoms of gold nanoclusters, this sensor shows high sensitivity and strong tolerance to other interferences. More impressively, this sensor can be directly used for the detection of cyanide in aqueous solution with excellent recoveries. Thus, this gold-nanocluster-based sensor may provide an effective new tool for highly sensitive and selective detection of cyanide in biological samples.