Easy and rapid chemosensing method for the identification of accumulated tin in algae: a strategy to protect a marine eco-system

Abstract

A simple and potent chemosensor AFL has been successfully developed to recognize Sn²⁺ selectively in marine algae or, more precisely, seaweed, as they are at huge risk from marine contamination. The bioaccumulation of Sn²⁺, mainly by the algae community, poses a great threat to the entire environment as Sn²⁺ toxicity flows towards higher organisms through food chain. The chemosensor AFL shows high selectivity and sensitivity towards Sn²⁺ with an extremely low detection limit, i.e. 90 nM, and demonstrates turn-on fluorescence with a bright cyan blue colour. The interaction mechanism is well supported by absorption, fluorescence titration, NMR titration and mass spectrometry, as well as theoretical analysis. Moreover, tin accumulation in green algae has also been revealed efficiently through confocal microscopic imaging. The quantification studies demonstrate that the AFL probe can be used as a proficient fluorescent marker for detecting Sn²⁺ in aquatic plants to save the marine ecosystem.