A novel dual-activatable ultrasensitive chemiluminescent probe for mercury (II) monitoring: From rational design to multiple application.

Real-time optical sensing of mercury has been developed rapidly in recent years but remains challenging such as bearing background interference. Herein, a Hg2+ and base dual-activatable ultrasensitive chemiluminescent probe CL-Hg based on benzothiazole-phenoxyl-dioxetane with profits of excitation light-free and minimal interference is presented. The photophysical properties study and sensing performance verified CL-Hg is coupled with unique advantages of long-term detection (more than 400 min), ultrahigh sensitivity (LOD = 0.52 nM), and high specificity to Hg2+, and visualization detection by the paper-based test strips. More importantly, CL-Hg showed the qualitative and quantitative detection capability for Hg2+ with great recyclability in real samples of water, seafood, and beverages, holding great potential for on-site monitoring of Hg2+ levels in the actual samples. To our knowledge, this is the first work achieving the detection of Hg2+ by chemiluminescence. Overall, the Hg2+-activated visualization platform offers a practical method for detecting Hg2+ in various application scenarios.

Functional insights to the development of bioactive material for combating bacterial infections.

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant "superbugs" poses a serious threat to human health. Nanomaterials and cationic polymers have shown unprecedented advantages as effective antimicrobial therapies due to their flexibility and ability to interact with biological macromolecules. They can incorporate a variety of antimicrobial substances, achieving multifunctional effects without easily developing drug resistance. Herein, this article discusses recent advances in cationic polymers and nano-antibacterial materials, including material options, fabrication techniques, structural characteristics, and activity performance, with a focus on their fundamental active elements.