Plasmonic and fluorescent sensors of metal ions in water based on biogenic gold nanoparticles

Abstract

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesized using a rapid, single step, and completely green biosynthetic method employing aqueous Citrus paradisi (grapefruit) extract, which was used as both the reducing and capping agent. Au(III) ions were rapidly reduced by the aqueous grapefruit extract, leading to the formation of highly stable and crystalline colloidal AuNPs, confirmed by the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak centered at 544 nm in the UV–Vis spectra. Biogenic AuNPs have been evaluated as plasmonic, fluorescent and naked-eye sensors of Pb2+, Ca2+, Hg2+, Zn2+ and Cu2+ ions in aqueous media, with a good performance and selectivity. Of the three methods used for metal ions sensing, fluorescent sensors shows better results, specifically with Ca2+, Cu2+ and Pb2+. Copper was detected by both plasmonic and fluorescent methods.