Fabrication and characterization of a α,β,γ,δ-Tetrakis(1-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphine/silica nanocomposite thin-layer membrane for detection of ppb-level heavy metal ions.

A new detection membrane for filtration enrichment combined with colorimetric determination of Cd(II), Zn(II), Pb(II) and Cu(II) ions is presented. We have demonstrated the use of a dye nanoparticle coated test strip (DNTS) structured with a reagent layer for on-site analysis of trace metal ions. In this study, a [TMPyP/SA] DNTS coated with a nanocomposite layer (average thickness: 5.39 μm) of α,β,γ,δ-Tetrakis(1-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphine (TMPyP) and silica-SA on the top surface of a cellulose ester membrane filter was fabricated by a simple filtration of an aqueous TMPyP/silica-SA nanocomposite dispersion through a membrane filter. The nanocomposite formation of cationic TMPyP and negatively charged colloidal SA (9-80 nm) was based on electrostatic interaction and was confirmed in the 120-800 nm diameter range by a dynamic light scattering photometer (DLS). To optimize the DNTS nanocomposite layer, surface uniformity, mechanical strength, the percent retention of TMPyP, and sensitivity to Cd(II) detection for six DNTSs with five different types of silica were examined. A half[TMPyP/SA] DNTS with an average layer thickness of 2.60 μm, which was prepared by controlling the amount of TMPyP and SA, demonstrated the highest sensitivity to Cd(II) ion because it had the lowest background absorbance. In addition, factors that affected the percent retention of TMPyP, such as pH and TMPyP/SA ratio, were determined. More than 99% of the TMPyP was retained on a membrane filter at pH 7.8 with a TMPyP and SA concentration of 2 × 10(-5) M and 4 × 10(-5) wt%, respectively. Filtration enrichment of 100mL of an aqueous solution containing Cd(II), Zn(II), and Pb(II) at ppb levels was achieved by concentrating the metal ions in a nanocomposite layer (the effective TMPyP area was 1.77 cm(2), pH 10.2). The signaling surface changed from a brown color to green when the ions were captured. The percent extraction for metal ions on a half[TMPyP/SA] DNTS were estimated by TLC scanning and ICP-MS. It was observed that, when using the half[TMPyP/SA] DNTS, Cd(II) concentrations as low as 1 ppb were detectable at a filtration rate of 4.0-5.0 mL min(-1).