Colorimetric detection of Hg2+ using a mixture of an anionic azo dye and a cationic polyelectrolyte in aqueous solution

Abstract

AbstractWe investigated a colorimetric chemosensor for Hg2+ based on a mixture of xylidyl blue I as an anionic organic dye and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) as a cationic polyelectrolyte in an aqueous solution at pH 7.5. The addition of Hg2+ to the mixture induced a bathochromic shift in the absorption spectra with a distinct color change from red to green which was readily identifiable by the naked eye, whereas the other metal ions gave rise to insignificant color changes. By contrast, upon adding Hg2+ to xylidyl blue I alone, the solution underwent no significant change in color. Moreover, a stoichiometric ratio for the complex between xylidyl blue I and Hg2+ in the presence of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) was determined to be 1:1 by the absorption titration curve and Job's plot. Thus, the mixture can be used as a selective naked‐eye colorimetric chemosensor for Hg2+ over other common metal ions. This study raises the possibility that the combination of an organic dye and an oppositely charged polyelectrolyte is a potential candidate for the easy construction of a new chemosensor system. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry