Colorimetric/Fluorescent Dual-Mode Sensing of Mercury Ions and Solid-Phase On-Site Fast Detection Using AIE-Active Coumarin Derivative TXDS

Abstract

Mercury ions present severe threats to both human health and the environment, making their detection of paramount importance. Here, we innovatively designed and synthesized coumarin derivative–based probe TXDS. By virtue of the robust interaction between the thiocarbonyl moiety of TXDS and Hg²⁺, which effectively regulated intramolecular conformational locking, a superior aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristic was successfully constructed. Probe TXDS, coupled with 100 nm Stokes shift, enabled highly sensitive and selective detection of Hg²⁺ within the concentration range of 0.1–10 µM. In addition, probe TXDS demonstrated excellent solid–liquid dual-mode detection capability for Hg²⁺. Colorimetric sensing extended the detection range of Hg²⁺ by 10-fold, realizing the complementary advantages of the wide dynamic range of colorimetry and the high sensitivity of fluorimetry. Mechanochemical treatment, involving grinding TXDS with soil samples, achieved visual analysis of Hg²⁺ within 20 s, highlighting the green, efficient, and cost-effective nature of this approach. Moreover, the dye TXDO exhibited tunable piezochromic behavior, offering potential applications in forensic identification and information encryption.

Keywords

colorimetric/fluorescent dual-mode detection / mechanochemical treatment / piezochromism / solid-phase on-site fast detection

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2025 The Author(s). Aggregate published by SCUT, AIEI, and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.