Quinoline based dual fluorescence chemosensor for the detection of Zn2+ and Cd2+ ions

초록

A fluorescent chemosensor, employing quinoline (8-HQC-2PA), has been devised for the dual-channel detection of biologically significant metal ions (Zn2+ and Cd2+) in aqueous environments. The sensing of Zn2+ is accomplished through a fluorogenic "turn-on" mechanism, while selective binding with Cd2+ ions induces a noticeable red-shift in the probe's intensity. Density functional theory (DFT) analysis affirms that the molecular energy levels and electron transitions of 8-HQC-2PA are significantly affected by the introduction of metal ions, resulting in spectral changes that facilitate the differentiation of Zn2+ and Cd2+. Moreover, 8-HQC-2PA exhibits high selectivity for Zn2+ and Cd2+ over other coexisting metal ions, achieving limits of detection (LOD) of 3.8 x 10-8 M and 3.7 x 10-9 M, respectively. These findings offer a facile and efficient method for selectively discerning trace amounts of Zn2+ and Cd2+ ions in biological studies.

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