Eco-Friendly Nanocellulose-Based Fluorometric Sensor for Ultra-Sensitive Detection and Removal of Mercury Ions From Water

Abstract

A novel solid-state fluorometric sensor based on wastepaper-derived nanocellulose (NC) functionalized with 4-hydroxy-3-(((2-mercaptophenyl)imino)methyl)benzyl)triphenylphosphonium hexafluorophosphate (TPPAT) was developed for the ultra-sensitive detection and simultaneous removal of Hg²⁺ ions from water. The NC-TPPAT composite exhibits a linear detection range of 0–50 μM and a limit of detection (LOD) of 4.11 × 10⁻⁸ M with the fluorescence technique and 3.31 × 10⁻⁸ M with UV–Vis technique. Rapid fluorescence response kinetics achieve signal equilibration within 100 s under optimized conditions (pH 4.5, 25 °C, 30 mg sensor dose). In parallel, batch adsorption studies revealed a Langmuir monolayer capacity of q_max = 225.6 mg g⁻¹ and pseudo-second-order kinetics (R² = 0.996), with equilibrium reached at 60 min (pH 5.3, 25 °C). Selectivity assays demonstrated negligible interference (< 5% signal deviation) from competing metal ions, including Cu²⁺ ions. The sensor maintains > 90% performance over five reuse cycles. This integrated NC-TPPAT platform combines eco-friendly material design, high sensitivity, and efficient Hg²⁺ ions removal, achieving a remarkable removal efficiency of up to 97.42%, offering a practical approach for real-time environmental monitoring and water purification.