Lead Pb(II) ions is a cumulative toxicant that impacts several biological systems and poses severe harm to young children. Accurate Pb(II) ions monitoring is thus of paramount importance. Here, we present the synthesis and application of glutathione-capped Au nanoclusters (Au(SG)) as a luminescence probe for the accurate and selective monitoring of blood Pb(II). The introduction of Pb(II) ions triggers orderly self-assembly of Au nanoclusters, resulting in the formation of rigid shell around Au nuclei. This limits the localized vibration of the glutathione ligands and their interaction with water molecules, greatly reducing non-radiative energy loss, and thereby enhancing the photoluminescence signal. Consequently, Au(SG) nanoclusters exhibit high sensitivity for Pb(II) detection. The detection signal displays a linear relationship with Pb(II) over a wide detection range (0–800 μg/L), demonstrating a substantial sensitivity of 35.29 μg/L. Moreover, the developed nanoclusters show superior selectivity for Pb(II) ions, distinguishing them from other prevalent heavy metals. This work pave the way for the development of advanced Pb(II) sensors with high sensitivity and selectivity.

中文翻译：

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谷胱甘肽配体自组装使 Au15 纳米团簇能够发光，用于对血液 Pb(II) 离子进行高灵敏度和选择性监测

铅 Pb(II) 离子是一种累积性毒物，会影响多个生物系统并对幼儿造成严重伤害。因此，准确的 Pb(II) 离子监测至关重要。在这里，我们介绍了谷胱甘肽封端的金纳米团簇（Au(SG)）的合成和应用，作为发光探针，用于准确和选择性监测血液 Pb(II)。 Pb(II) 离子的引入引发了 Au 纳米团簇的有序自组装，导致在 Au 核周围形成刚性壳。这限制了谷胱甘肽配体的局部振动及其与水分子的相互作用，大大减少了非辐射能量损失，从而增强了光致发光信号。因此，Au(SG) 纳米团簇对 Pb(II) 检测表现出高灵敏度。检测信号在较宽的检测范围 (0–800 μg/L) 内与 Pb(II) 呈线性关系，显示出 35.29 μg/L 的高灵敏度。此外，所开发的纳米团簇对 Pb(II) 离子表现出优异的选择性，使其有别于其他常见的重金属。这项工作为开发具有高灵敏度和选择性的先进 Pb(II) 传感器铺平了道路。