Synergetic AgS and ZnS quantum dots as the sensitizer and recognition probe: A visible light-driven photoelectrochemical sensor for the "signal-on" analysis of mercury (II).

A visible-light-driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor has been developed for the "signal-on" analysis of Hg by the synergetic combination of low-bandgap AgS and wide-bandgap ZnS quantum dots (QDs). AgS QDs were synthesized with bead-chain-like structure by the self-assembly route and further covalently bound with ZnS QDs to be coated onto the indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes. It was discovered that the ZnS@AgS-modified electrodes could display the visible-light-driven PEC behavior, of which AgS and ZnS QDs could act as the PEC sensitizer and Hg-recognition probe, respectively. More importantly, the photocurrent responses of the developed electrodes could be specifically turned on in the presence of Hg under the visible-light irradiation, presumably due to that Hg might conduct a Zn-to-Hg exchange on ZnS QDs to trigger the formation of HgS/ZnS@AgS heterojunction towards the enhanced electron-hole separation. The as-prepared PEC sensor could facilitate the detection of Hg with concentrations ranging from 0.010-1000 nM, with a detection limit of about 1.0 pM. Besides, the feasibility of practical applications of the developed PEC analysis strategy was verified by probing Hg in environmental water samples. Such a visible-light-driven PEC detection platform with the unique "turn-on" signal output may promise for the extensive applications for Hg evaluation.