Detecting Mercury with Gold
March 8, 2017 | ACN NewswireEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Mercury is harmful even in small amounts. Detecting it currently requires expensive equipment. Researchers are working on a faster and cheaper alternative: a portable sensor that can perform a rapid analysis in the field. The key is finding something small and accurate enough to do the job.
[Left] Amalgam formation on gold nanorods and [Right] scattering color transition (inset) and associated blue shift of the surface plasmon resonance peak wavelengths (λmax) measured in individual nanorods by dark-field microscopy upon chemical reduction of Hg(II). (c)2016 Carola Schopf, Alfonso Martín and Daniela Iacopino.
For many years, scientists have studied tiny gold nanorods for making smaller mercury sensors. Recently, a team from the Tyndall National Institute based at University College Cork found that individual gold nanorods could be used to detect mercury with high sensitivity, making them a strong contender for portable analysers. The results were published in the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials.
An individual gold nanorod was fixed to a glass slide that was placed under an electron microscope. Using an imaging method called dark-field microscopy, the team studied the composition of the sample by measuring how light scatters off the rod's surface. A gold nanorod produces a red wavelength pattern, but when it was dipped in a salty solution containing trace levels of mercury, the shape and composition of the rod changed, producing an orange wavelength pattern. The more mercury in the solution, the more the wavelength changed. The nanorods were found to be far more sensitive to mercury than to other metals, including lead, nickel, copper and magnesium.
"The reported linear correlation and high selectivity make this approach potentially suitable for on-site analysis using a miniaturized portable spectrometer," the study concluded.
However, major hurdles remain. The size and shape of gold nanorods vary from rod to rod, significantly throwing off measurements. Manufacturers must improve their fabrication so they are consistent. Also, pre-purification protocols of the rods will be required before real-world analysis can be reliably performed.
Suggested Items
Insulectro’s 'Storekeepers' Extend Their Welcome to Technology Village at IPC APEX EXPO
04/03/2024 | InsulectroInsulectro, the largest distributor of materials for use in the manufacture of PCBs and printed electronics, welcomes attendees to its TECHNOLOGY VILLAGE during this year’s IPC APEX EXPO at the Anaheim Convention Center, April 9-11, 2024.
ENNOVI Introduces a New Flexible Circuit Production Process for Low Voltage Connectivity in EV Battery Cell Contacting Systems
04/03/2024 | PRNewswireENNOVI, a mobility electrification solutions partner, introduces a more advanced and sustainable way of producing flexible circuits for low voltage signals in electric vehicle (EV) battery cell contacting systems.
Heavy Copper PCBs: Bridging the Gap Between Design and Fabrication, Part 1
04/01/2024 | Yash Sutariya, Saturn Electronics ServicesThey call me Sparky. This is due to my talent for getting shocked by a variety of voltages and because I cannot seem to keep my hands out of power control cabinets. While I do not have the time to throw the knife switch to the off position, that doesn’t stop me from sticking screwdrivers into the fuse boxes. In all honesty, I’m lucky to be alive. Fortunately, I also have a talent for building high-voltage heavy copper circuit boards. Since this is where I spend most of my time, I can guide you through some potential design for manufacturability (DFM) hazards you may encounter with heavy copper design.
Trouble in Your Tank: Supporting IC Substrates and Advanced Packaging, Part 5
03/19/2024 | Michael Carano -- Column: Trouble in Your TankDirect metallization systems based on conductive graphite or carbon dispersion are quickly gaining acceptance worldwide. Indeed, the environmental and productivity gains one can achieve with these processes are outstanding. In today’s highly competitive and litigious environment, direct metallization reduces costs associated with compliance, waste treatment, and legal issues related to chemical exposure. What makes these processes leaders in the direct metallization space?
AT&S Shines with Purest Copper on World Recycling Day
03/18/2024 | AT&SThe Styrian microelectronics specialist AT&S is taking World Recycling Day as an opportunity to review the progress that has been made in recent months at its sites around the world in terms of the efficient use of resources: