Smart detection of toxic metal ions, Pb2+ and Cd2+, using a 129Xe NMR-based sensor.

ABSTRACT

An approach for sensitive magnetic resonance detection of metal cations is proposed. Combining the use of hyperpolarized (129)Xe NMR and of a cage-molecule functionalized by a ligand able to chelate different cations, we show that simultaneous detection of lead, zinc, and cadmium ions at nanomolar concentration is possible in short time, thanks to fast MRI sequences based on the HyperCEST scheme.