Mercury ion detection sensor device and sensing method thereof

Abstract

A sensing method for detecting mercury ions includes: providing a sensing element, preparing a gel material and a quantum dot material, wherein the quantum dot material has a fluorescent property, mixing the gel material and the quantum dot material to form a fluorescent gel material containing quantum dots, wherein the fluorescent gel material containing quantum dots has a fluorescence intensity, and disposing the fluorescent gel material containing quantum dots at a predetermined sensing position of the sensing element to form a sensing film layer, wherein when the fluorescent gel material containing quantum dots of the sensing film layer is placed in a sample to be tested, a mercury ion concentration in the sample to be tested causes a change in the fluorescence intensity of the fluorescent gel material containing quantum dots.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a sensor device and method for detecting mercury ions; particularly to a sensor and method for detecting mercury ions using a quantum dot (QD) fluorescence method; and especially to a sensor and method for detecting mercury ion concentration, which may optionally employ a biogel material (e.g., hydrogel). Prior Technology

[0002] Regarding conventional mercury ion detection sensors and their manufacturing methods, for example, Chinese Patent Publication No. CN-117250173, "Fiber Optic Sensor and its Preparation Method and Metallic Mercury Ion Detection System and Method," discloses a method for preparing a fiber optic sensor, which includes: providing an optical fiber and removing a cladding of a predetermined length from the optical fiber to expose a fiber core segment at a corresponding position of the cladding of the predetermined length.

[0003] Continuing on the above, the method for preparing the optical fiber sensor disclosed in the aforementioned patent CN-117250173 further includes: preparing a gold nanoparticle layer on the outer surface of the fiber core segment using a flame brush coating process and a gold nanoparticle solution; depositing at least one composite structure layer on one surface of the gold nanoparticle layer to form the detection area of ​​an optical fiber sensor.

[0004] However, the fiber optic sensor disclosed in the aforementioned patent CN-117250173 only has the gold nanoparticle layer and deposits the composite structure layer on the surface of the gold nanoparticle layer to form the detection area of ​​the fiber optic sensor. Therefore, there is still a potential need for further technical improvement.

[0005] Another commonly used carbon quantum dot material for mercury ion detection and its manufacturing method is, for example, Chinese Patent Publication No. CN-116478688, "Carbon quantum dots for detecting mercury ions, their synthesis method, mercury ion detection kit and their application," which discloses a carbon quantum dot for detecting mercury ions, its synthesis method, a mercury ion detection kit and its application. This carbon quantum dot for detecting mercury ions comprises a citric acid material, a urea material, and an L-cysteine ​​material.

[0006] As mentioned above, the carbon quantum dots used for detecting mercury ions in the aforementioned patent publication CN-116478688 are prepared by a hydrothermal method to obtain a carbon quantum dot material. The carbon quantum dot material has an excitation wavelength of 325nm to 425nm and an emission wavelength of blue fluorescence of 400nm to 550nm.

[0007] Another commonly used carbon quantum dot material for detecting mercury ions and its manufacturing method is, for example, Chinese Patent Publication No. CN-115975638, "A carbon quantum dot for detecting mercury ions and / or iron ions in aqueous solution and its application," which discloses a carbon quantum dot for detecting mercury ions and / or iron ions in aqueous solution and its application. This carbon quantum dot for detecting mercury ions and / or iron ions in aqueous solution comprises a carbon quantum dot material and a modifying material.

[0008] As mentioned above, the modifying material in the aforementioned patent publication CN-115975638 is selected from diethylenetriamine-β-cyclodextrin, and the carbon quantum dot material is appropriately modified with the diethylenetriamine-β-cyclodextrin to obtain a modified carbon quantum dot material, and the modified carbon quantum dot material can be represented as 3N-CQDs.

[0009] Another commonly used carbon quantum dot material for mercury ion detection and its manufacturing method is, for example, Chinese Patent Publication No. CN-115465854, "Preparation Method of Nitrogen-Doped Fluorescent Carbon Quantum Dots and Their Application in Mercury Ion Detection," which discloses a method for preparing nitrogen-doped fluorescent carbon quantum dots and their application in mercury ion detection. The method for preparing nitrogen-doped fluorescent carbon quantum dots includes: mixing and grinding a carbon source material and a functional monomer material, and then using a hydrothermal synthesis method at a reaction temperature for a reaction time to obtain a nitrogen-doped fluorescent carbon quantum dot. The carbon source material is an alginate, and the functional monomer material is histidine.

[0010] Continuing from the above, the method for preparing nitrogen-doped fluorescent carbon quantum dots in the aforementioned patent publication CN-115465854 includes: the mass ratio of the carbon source material to the functional monomer material is 2: [0.8 to 1.5], the reaction temperature is 210 to 240°C, the reaction time is 5.5 to 6 hours, and after the reaction is completed, an ethanol material is added to dissolve a reaction product to form a mixture, and a first centrifugation is performed to collect a supernatant, and the supernatant is mixed with toluene, and a second centrifugation is performed to collect a precipitate to obtain the nitrogen-doped fluorescent carbon quantum dots.

[0011] Another commonly used carbon quantum dot material for mercury ion detection and its manufacturing method is, for example, Chinese Patent Publication No. CN-115537198, "A Green Fluorescent Carbon Quantum Dot, Its Preparation Method and Its Application in Mercury Ion Detection," which discloses a green fluorescent carbon quantum dot, its preparation method, and its application in mercury ion detection. The preparation method of this green fluorescent carbon quantum dot includes: dissolving a dopamine hydrochloride material and an L-cysteine ​​material in water, and mixing them using ultrasonic processing to obtain a mixture material.

[0012] As mentioned above, the aforementioned patent publication CN-115537198 describes a hydrothermal reaction of the mixed material to produce a mixed reaction product, and then dialysis, centrifugation and filtration of the mixed reaction product to obtain a green fluorescent carbon quantum dot material.

[0013] Another commonly used carbon quantum dot material for detecting mercury ions and its manufacturing method is, for example, Chinese Patent Publication No. CN-115558494, "Carbon quantum dots for detecting mercury ions and oxytetracycline, preparation method and application," which discloses a carbon quantum dot for detecting mercury ions and oxytetracycline, its preparation method and application. The preparation method of this carbon quantum dot for detecting mercury ions and oxytetracycline includes: drying and grinding a black fungus material to form a black fungus powder.

[0014] As mentioned above, the preparation method of carbon quantum dots for detecting mercury ions and oxytetracycline in the aforementioned patent publication CN-115558494 includes: mixing a thiourea material into the black fungus powder, adding the thiourea material and black fungus powder to deionized water for uniform mixing to obtain a mixture, and reacting the mixture to obtain a reaction product.

[0015] As mentioned above, the preparation method of carbon quantum dots for detecting mercury ions and oxytetracycline in the aforementioned patent publication CN-115558494 includes: cooling, coarsely filtering, centrifuging and dialysis of the reaction product to obtain a carbon quantum dot material.

[0016] Another commonly used carbon quantum dot material for mercury ion detection and its manufacturing method is, for example, Chinese Patent Publication No. CN-113214826, "A high fluorescence quantum yield carbon quantum dot and its preparation and application in mercury ion detection," which discloses a high fluorescence quantum yield carbon quantum dot, its preparation, and its application in mercury ion detection. The method for preparing this high fluorescence quantum yield carbon quantum dot includes mixing a gelatin material, an acetic acid material, and water to obtain a mixture.

[0017] As mentioned above, the method for preparing high fluorescence quantum yield carbon quantum dots in the aforementioned patent publication CN-113214826 includes: performing a hydrothermal reaction on the mixture in a hydrothermal reaction apparatus to obtain a carbon quantum dot material, wherein the hydrothermal reaction adopts a reaction temperature and a reaction time, and the reaction temperature is 120 to 300°C, and the reaction time is 2 to 10 hours.

[0018] Another commonly used carbon quantum dot material for mercury ion detection and its manufacturing method is, for example, Chinese Patent Announcement No. CN-110205123, "A carbon quantum dot material and its application in mercury ion detection," which discloses a carbon quantum dot material and its application in mercury ion detection. The preparation method of this carbon quantum dot material includes: dissolving a citric acid material and a urea material in deionized water to obtain a mixture material.

[0019] As mentioned above, the preparation method of the carbon quantum dot material in the aforementioned patent publication CN-110205123 includes: carbonizing the mixture material and obtaining a supernatant; centrifuging the supernatant to remove the precipitate and dialysis purification to obtain a purified solution.

[0020] As mentioned above, the preparation method of the carbon quantum dot material in the aforementioned patent publication CN-110205123 includes: uniformly mixing the purified solution with a sodium pyrophosphate solution to obtain a modified carbon quantum dot material solution, wherein the concentration of the sodium pyrophosphate solution is 80mM to 120mM.

[0021] Another commonly used carbon quantum dot material for mercury ion detection and its manufacturing method is, for example, Chinese Patent Announcement No. CN-109813705, "Method for Detecting Mercury Ions Based on Paper Crystals of Gold-Graphene Quantum Dots," which discloses a method for detecting mercury ions based on paper crystals of gold-graphene quantum dots. This method includes: preparing a gold-graphene quantum dot composite, preparing a gold-graphene quantum dot paper crystal, creating a mercury ion standard colorimetric card, and detecting mercury ions in the sample.

[0022] Continuing from the above, the method for detecting mercury ions based on paper wafers using nano-gold and graphene quantum dots in the aforementioned patent publication CN-109813705 includes: adding a trisodium citrate material and a chloroauric acid material to ultrapure water to obtain a mixture, heating the mixture with microwaves to obtain a red nano-gold, heating a citric acid to form an orange liquid, and adding the orange liquid to a sodium hydroxide solution to obtain a graphene quantum dot material, wherein the graphene quantum dot material is a light green transparent material.

[0023] Although the aforementioned Chinese patent announcements No. CN-116478688, CN-115975638, CN-115465854, CN-115537198, CN-115558494, CN-113214826, CN-110205123 and CN-109813705 only disclose various carbon quantum dot materials for mercury ion detection, their manufacturing methods and applications, their technical implementation is inevitably limited by sensitivity.

[0024] In short, the aforementioned Chinese patent applications CN-117250173, CN-116478688, CN-115975638, CN-115465854, CN-115537198, CN-115558494, CN-113214826, CN-110205123, and CN-109813705 only disclose fiber optic sensors or various conventional mercury ion detection carbon quantum dot materials, their manufacturing methods, and their applications. Therefore, there is still a potential need for further technological improvements in all of them.

[0025] Obviously, the aforementioned Chinese patent applications No. CN-117250173, CN-116478688, CN-115975638, CN-115465854, CN-115537198, CN-115558494, CN-113214826, CN-110205123, and CN-109813705 are merely references to the technical background of this invention and to illustrate the current state of technological development; they are not intended to limit the scope of this invention.

[0026] In view of the above, in order to meet the aforementioned technical problems and needs, the present invention provides a sensor and method for mercury ion detection. It provides a sensing element, prepares a gel material and a quantum dot material, and mixes the gel material and the quantum dot material to form a fluorescent gel material containing quantum dots. This fluorescent gel material contains quantum dots and emits a fluorescence intensity. The fluorescent gel material containing quantum dots is disposed at a predetermined sensing position of the sensing element to form a sensing film layer. When the fluorescent gel material containing quantum dots in the sensing film layer is placed in a sample to be tested, a mercury ion concentration in the sample causes a change in the fluorescence intensity of the fluorescent gel material containing quantum dots. This significantly improves upon the technical problem that conventional carbon quantum dot materials and their manufacturing methods for mercury ion detection cannot provide simplified mercury ion detection operations and improved mercury ion detection sensitivity. Summary of the Invention

[0027] The main objective of this invention is to provide a sensor and method for mercury ion detection. The invention provides a sensing element, prepares a gel material and a quantum dot material, and mixes the gel material and the quantum dot material to form a fluorescent gel material containing quantum dots. This fluorescent gel material contains quantum dots and emits fluorescence. The fluorescent gel material containing quantum dots is disposed at a predetermined sensing position of the sensing element to form a sensing film layer. When the fluorescent gel material containing quantum dots in the sensing film layer is placed in a sample to be tested, a mercury ion concentration in the sample causes a change in the fluorescence intensity of the fluorescent gel material containing quantum dots, thereby achieving the purpose or effect of simplifying mercury ion detection and improving the sensitivity of mercury ion detection.

[0028] To achieve the above objectives, the preferred embodiment of the mercury ion detection sensor of the present invention includes: At least one sensing element having a predetermined sensing position; and At least one sensing thin film layer is formed at a predetermined sensing location of the sensing element; wherein the sensing thin film layer comprises: At least one gel material is used to provide a carrier substance; At least one quantum dot material, which has a fluorescent property; and A fluorescent gel material containing quantum dots, formed by mixing the gel material and the quantum dot material, wherein the fluorescent gel material containing quantum dots has the ability to emit a certain fluorescence intensity; When the fluorescent gel material containing the content of the sensing film layer is placed in a sample to be tested, the concentration of mercury ions in the sample to be tested causes a change in the fluorescence intensity of the fluorescent gel material containing the content of the content of the film layer.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sensing element is selected from an optical fiber element, a probe element, a reagent paper element, or any combination thereof.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the predetermined sensing position is selected from a sensing end face, a sensing end, a sensing part, a sensing area, or any combination thereof.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the predetermined sensing position has a pre-processed surface.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the gel material is selected from a hydrogel coating or a hydrogel polymer coating.

[0033] To achieve the above objectives, the preferred embodiment of the mercury ion detection sensing method of the present invention includes: A sensing element is provided, and the sensing element has a predetermined sensing position; Prepare a gel material, which is used to provide a carrier substance; A quantum dot material is prepared, and the quantum dot material exhibits a fluorescent property; The gel material and quantum dot material are mixed to form a fluorescent gel material containing quantum dots, and the fluorescent gel material containing quantum dots has the ability to emit a certain fluorescence intensity; The fluorescent gel material containing the sub-dots is disposed at a predetermined sensing position of the sensing element to form a sensing thin film layer; and When the fluorescent gel material containing the content of the sensing film layer is placed in a sample to be tested, the concentration of mercury ions in the sample to be tested causes a change in the fluorescence intensity of the fluorescent gel material containing the content of the content of the film layer.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sensing thin film layer is selected from a single sensing thin film layer or a composite sensing thin film layer.

[0035] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sensing thin film layer has a predetermined thickness range, and the predetermined thickness range has a better sensitivity, and the predetermined thickness range is approximately between 1.0 μm and 6.0 μm.

[0036] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sensing thin film layer has a predetermined thickness, and the predetermined thickness has a better sensitivity, and the predetermined thickness is about 5.2 μm.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sensing thin film layer is formed using a fluorescent gel material containing the content of sub-dots, selected by a spin coating method, a spray coating method, or both. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0038] Figure 1: Block diagram of a mercury ion detection sensor according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2A: A microscope image of the sensing element and its predetermined sensing position used in the sensor for mercury ion detection according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2B: A microscope image of the sensing element and its predetermined sensing position of the sensor for mercury ion detection according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3: Schematic flowchart of the sensing method for mercury ion detection according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4: A schematic diagram of the mercury ion detection sensor and method of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, which uses a mercury ion detection biogel material in the state of absorbing ultraviolet light and performing mercury ion detection. Figure 5: Block diagram of a mercury ion detection sensor according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6: A schematic diagram of the sensor and method for mercury ion detection in the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, which uses a mercury ion detection biogel material and employs a material with a three-dimensional network structure before the mercury ion detection operation. Implementation

[0039] To fully understand the present invention, preferred embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, but these are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0040] The preferred embodiment of the mercury ion detection sensor and method of the present invention can be applied to various mercury ion solution detection materials and their operation methods, and can also be combined with various mercury ion water quality detection systems and their methods, various mercury ion detection environmental systems and their operation methods, or various mercury ion detection planning and verification management systems and their methods, but it is not intended to limit the scope of application of the present invention.

[0041] As stated above, the preferred embodiment of the mercury ion detection sensor and method of the present invention can be applied to various fully automated sensors and methods, various semi-automated sensors and methods, or various non-automated sensors and methods, but it is not intended to limit the scope of application of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating a mercury ion detection sensor according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 1, for example, the mercury ion detection sensor according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention includes at least one sensing element 1 and at least one sensing thin film layer 100, wherein the sensing thin film layer 100 appropriately covers the sensing element 1.

[0043] Please refer to Figure 1 again. For example, depending on various needs, the sensing element 1 can be selected from an optical fiber element, a probe element, a reagent paper element, or any combination thereof, and the sensing element 1 can be set at a predetermined position with a predetermined sensing position using appropriate technical means.

[0044] Please refer to Figure 1 again. For example, the predetermined sensing position is selected from a sensing end surface, a sensing distal end, a sensing part (e.g., a flat part, a recessed part, a protrusion, or others), a sensing area (e.g., a sensing segment area, a sensing side area, or others), or any combination thereof.

[0045] Figure 2A illustrates a microscope image of the sensing element and its predetermined sensing position in a preferred embodiment of the mercury ion detection sensor of the present invention. Referring to Figures 1 and 2A, for example, the predetermined sensing position on the sensing element 1 can be selected from a sensing end face 1a, as shown in Figure 2A, and the sensing end face 1a can be located on a plastic label, a probe, or other element.

[0046] Figure 2B illustrates a microscope image of the sensing element and its predetermined sensing position in a mercury ion detection sensor according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figures 1 and 2B, for example, in another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the predetermined sensing position on the sensing element 1 may be selected from a sensing end 1b, as shown in Figure 2B, and the sensing end 1b may be located on a plastic label, a probe, or other element.

[0047] Please refer to Figures 1, 2A and 2B. For example, depending on various requirements, the sensing end face 1a (as shown in Figure 2A), sensing end face 1b (as shown in Figure 2B), or both of the predetermined sensing position may have a pre-treated surface (e.g., a chemically treated surface, a plasma treated surface, an arc treated surface or other treated surface).

[0048] Please refer to Figure 1 again. For example, the sensing film layer 100 can be selected from a single layer sensing film layer or a complex sensing film layer, and the sensing film layer 100 can be selected to have a predetermined shape (e.g., a square surface, a rectangular surface, a circular surface, an elliptical surface or other shaped surface).

[0049] Please refer to Figure 1 again. For example, the sensing film layer 100 may have a predetermined thickness range, and the predetermined thickness range has a better sensitivity. The predetermined thickness range is approximately between 1.0 μm and 6.0 μm or other thickness ranges. The sensing film layer 100 may have a predetermined thickness, and the predetermined thickness has a better sensitivity. The predetermined thickness is approximately 5.2 μm or other thicknesses.

[0050] Please refer to Figure 1 again. For example, the sensing film layer 100 has a biogel material for mercury ion detection, which includes at least one gel material 11 and at least one quantum dot material 12 to form a fluorescent gel material 10 containing quantum dots.

[0051] Please refer to Figure 1 again. For example, the gel material 11 can be selected from a bio-gel material, a hydrogel coating material, or a hydrogel polymer coating. The hydrogel polymer coating includes a polyacrylamide polymer material and a polyacrylic acid polymer material. The gel material 11 has a carrier property. The gel material 11 can be selected from a green gel material or a red gel material.

[0052] Please refer to Figure 1 again. For example, the quantum dot material 12 can be selected from a core-shell type quantum dot material or a quantum dot material with a similar core-shell structure. The core-shell type quantum dot material can be selected from a cadmium selenide / zinc oxide (CdSe / ZnS) quantum dot material or a quantum dot material containing cadmium selenide / zinc oxide. The quantum dot material 12 has a fluorescent emission property.

[0053] Please refer to Figure 1 again. For example, the fluorescent gel material 10 containing quantum dots is made of gel material 11 and quantum dot material 12. The gel material 11 may have a first predetermined amount, and the quantum dot material 12 may have a second predetermined amount. The first predetermined amount and the second predetermined amount may have a predetermined ratio.

[0054] Please refer to Figure 1 again. For example, in another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fluorescent gel material 10 of the content sub-dot can be selected from an acrylamide (PAAm) material appropriately incorporated with a polyacrylamide (PAAm) polymer and a polyacrylic acid (PAA) polymer to form a polyacrylic acid-polyacrylamide (PAA-PAAm) hydrogel material.

[0055] Please refer to Figure 1 again. For example, the fluorescent gel material 10 containing quantum dots may appropriately have at least one material support structure of the gel material 11 (e.g., various network or other support shapes), and the quantum dot material 12 may be appropriately distributed on the material support structure of the gel material 11.

[0056] Figure 3 illustrates a flowchart of a preferred embodiment of the mercury ion detection sensing method of the present invention, which corresponds to the mercury ion detection sensor in Figure 1. Referring to Figure 3, the preferred embodiment of the mercury ion detection sensing method of the present invention includes four steps [S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, and S6]. These steps can be added, reduced, combined, swapped, or otherwise appropriately adjusted according to different needs, but this is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0057] Please refer to Figures 1 and 3. The preferred embodiment of the mercury ion detection sensing method of the present invention includes step S1: First, for example, the sensing element 1 can be provided by appropriate technical means (e.g., automated, semi-automated or manual), and the sensing element 1 has a predetermined sensing position.

[0058] Please refer again to Figures 1 and 3. The preferred embodiment of the mercury ion detection sensing method of the present invention includes step S2: Next, for example, the gel material 11 can be prepared (e.g., pre-prepared) by appropriate technical means (e.g., automated, semi-automated or manual), and the gel material 11 is used to provide a carrier substance.

[0059] Please refer again to Figures 1 and 3. The preferred embodiment of the mercury ion detection sensing method of the present invention includes step S3: Next, for example, the quantum dot material 12 can be prepared (e.g., pre-prepared) by appropriate technical means (e.g., automated, semi-automated or manual), and the quantum dot material 12 has a fluorescent property.

[0060] Please refer again to Figures 1 and 3. The preferred embodiment of the mercury ion detection sensing method of the present invention includes step S4: Next, for example, the gel material 11 and the quantum dot material 12 can be appropriately mixed (e.g., uniform stirring or other mixing methods) and heated (e.g., electromagnetic heating, microwave heating, water bath heating or other heating methods) by appropriate technical means (e.g., automated, semi-automated or manual methods) to form the fluorescent gel material 10 containing quantum dots, and the fluorescent gel material 10 containing quantum dots has the ability to emit a fluorescent intensity.

[0061] Please refer again to Figures 1 and 3. The preferred embodiment of the mercury ion detection sensing method of the present invention includes step S5: Next, for example, by appropriate technical means (e.g., automated, semi-automated or manual), the fluorescent gel material 10 containing the ion content can be selectively disposed at a predetermined sensing position of the sensing element 1 in order to form the sensing film layer 100.

[0062] Please refer to Figures 1 and 3 again. For example, the sensing film layer 100 can be formed by using a fluorescent gel material 10 containing the sub-dots, which can be selected by a spin-coating method, a spray-coating method, or both, and the sensing film layer 100 is formed on the predetermined sensing position of the sensing element 1.

[0063] Figure 4 illustrates the first preferred embodiment of the mercury ion detection sensor and method of the present invention, which is applied to a mercury ion detection biogel material, and is a schematic diagram of the mercury ion detection operation performed in the state of absorbing ultraviolet light. Referring to Figures 1, 3, and 4, for example, the quantum dot material (e.g., cadmium selenide / zinc oxide) 12 of the fluorescent gel material 10 containing quantum dots can emit a fluorescence (e.g., blue fluorescence spectrum, red fluorescence spectrum, or other color fluorescence spectrum) 30 after absorbing the energy of ultraviolet light (UV light) 3, as shown on the left side of Figure 4.

[0064] Please refer again to Figures 1, 3, and 4. The preferred embodiment of the mercury ion detection sensing method of the present invention includes step S6: Next, for example, by appropriate technical means (e.g., automated, semi-automated, or manual), when the fluorescent gel material 10 of the content sub-dot of the sensing film layer 100 is placed in a sample 2 to be tested, a mercury ion concentration in the sample 2 to be tested (e.g., a mercury ion-containing solution or other mercury ion-containing material) causes a change in fluorescence intensity of the fluorescent gel material 10 of the content sub-dot, as shown on the right side of Figure 4.

[0065] Please refer again to Figures 1, 3 and 4. For example, in another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fluorescent gel material 10 containing the sub-dots can be filled and cured using at least one mold device (not shown) to form a fluorescent gel block, and the fluorescent gel block has a predetermined size specification (e.g., length, width, thickness or other shape).

[0066] Please refer to Figures 1, 3, and 4 again. For example, when the quantum dot material 12 of the fluorescent gel material 10 containing quantum dots binds at least one or more mercury ions (as shown on the right side of Figure 4), the bound mercury ions can change the fluorescence properties of the quantum dot material 12 of the fluorescent gel material 10 containing quantum dots to a certain extent.

[0067] Please refer to Figures 1, 3, and 4 again. For example, after the mercury ions are bound around the quantum dot material 12 of the fluorescent gel material 10 containing the quantum dots, when the quantum dot material 12 of the fluorescent gel material 10 containing the quantum dots absorbs the energy of ultraviolet light 3, the fluorescence 30 of the quantum dot material 12 has a certain degree of emission reduction, as shown on the right side of Figure 4.

[0068] Please refer again to Figures 1, 3, and 4. For example, the fluorescent gel material 10 containing the content of the sub-dots is suitable for detecting the sample to be tested (e.g., a mercury ion solution or other mercury ion material) 2. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the mercury ion concentration can be selected to be in the range of 0 to 100 ppm, and the minimum mercury ion concentration is 1 ppb.

[0069] Please refer to Figures 1, 3, and 4 again. For example, when the mercury ion concentration ranges from 0 to 10 ppm, the fluorescent gel material 10 exhibits significant changes. In experiments with mercury ion concentrations ranging from 0 to 10 ppm, the fluorescent hydrogel obtained a sensitivity of -27.58 au / ppm (green fluorescent hydrogel) and a sensitivity of -49.73 au / ppm (red fluorescent hydrogel), respectively; or the fluorescent solution obtained a sensitivity of -99.16 au / ppm (green fluorescent solution) and a sensitivity of -25.90 au / ppm (red fluorescent solution), respectively.

[0070] Please refer to Figures 1, 3, and 4. For example, when the mercury ion concentration ranges from 10 to 100 ppm, the fluorescence of the fluorescent hydrogel is quenched within this range, indicating that the fluorescent hydrogel exhibits good linearity in fluorescence intensity change within this concentration range. In experiments with mercury ion concentrations ranging from 10 to 100 ppm, the fluorescent solutions obtained sensitivities of -5.20 au / ppm (green fluorescent solution) and -6.59 au / ppm (red fluorescent solution), respectively.

[0071] Figure 5 is a block diagram illustrating a mercury ion detection sensor according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to Figure 5, compared to the first embodiment, the mercury ion detection sensor of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention includes at least one sensing element 1' and at least one sensing thin film layer 100, wherein the sensing thin film layer 100 appropriately covers the sensing element 1'.

[0072] Please refer to Figure 5 again. For example, the sensing film layer 100 has a biogel material for mercury ion detection, and the biogel material for mercury ion detection includes at least one material 11a with a three-dimensional network structure and at least one quantum dot material 12 to form a fluorescent gel material 10a containing quantum dots.

[0073] Please refer to Figure 5 again. For example, the material 11a with a three-dimensional network structure can be selected from a gel material, which can be selected from a biogel material, a hydrogel coating or a hydrogel polymer coating. The hydrogel polymer coating includes a polyacrylamide polymer material and a polyacrylic acid polymer material. The material 11a with a three-dimensional network structure has the characteristics of a three-dimensional network carrier.

[0074] Figure 6 illustrates a second preferred embodiment of the mercury ion detection sensor and method of the present invention, which utilizes a mercury ion detection biogel material. The material employs a three-dimensional network structure before the mercury ion detection operation. Referring again to Figures 5 and 6, for example, the quantum dot material 12 is disposed on the three-dimensional network of the material 11a with the three-dimensional network structure, as shown on the left side of Figure 6.

[0075] The above experimental data are preliminary results obtained under specific conditions and are only used to facilitate understanding or reference of the technical content of this invention. Further related experiments are required. This experimental data and its results are not intended to limit the scope of this invention.

[0076] The foregoing preferred embodiments are merely illustrative of the present invention and its technical features. The technology of these embodiments can still be implemented with various substantially equivalent modifications and / or substitutions; therefore, the scope of the present invention must be determined by the scope defined in the appended claims. This copyright application is limited to the uses specified in the Republic of China patent application.

[0077] 1: Sensing element 1': Sensing element 1a: Sensing end face 1b: Sensing terminal 10: Fluorescent gel materials with high content of quantum dots 10a: Fluorescent gel materials with high content of quantum dots 100: Sensing thin film layer 11: Gel Materials 11a: Materials with three-dimensional network structures 12: Quantum dot materials 2: Sample to be tested 3: Ultraviolet light 30: Fluorescence

Claims

1. A sensor for detecting mercury ions, comprising: at least one sensing element having a predetermined sensing position; and at least one sensing film layer formed on the predetermined sensing position of the sensing element; wherein the sensing film layer comprises: at least one gel material for providing a carrier substance; at least one quantum dot material having a fluorescent property, wherein the quantum dot material is selected from a core-shell quantum dot material or a quantum dot material having a similar core-shell structure, and the core-shell quantum dot material is selected from a cadmium selenide / zinc oxide quantum dot material or a quantum dot material containing cadmium selenide / zinc oxide; and a quantum dot-containing fluorescent gel material formed by mixing the gel material and the quantum dot material, wherein the quantum dot-containing fluorescent gel material has the ability to emit a fluorescent intensity; wherein when the quantum dot-containing fluorescent gel material of the sensing film layer is placed in a sample to be tested, a mercury ion concentration in the sample to be tested causes a change in the fluorescent intensity of the quantum dot-containing fluorescent gel material.

2. The sensor for detecting mercury ions as described in claim 1, wherein the sensing element is selected from an optical fiber element, a probe element, a reagent paper element, or any combination thereof.

3. The mercury ion detection sensor as described in claim 1, wherein the predetermined sensing position is selected from a sensing end face, a sensing end, a sensing part, a sensing area, or any combination thereof.

4. A sensor for detecting mercury ions as described in claim 1, wherein the predetermined sensing location has at least one pre-treated surface.

5. The mercury ion detection sensor as described in claim 1, wherein the gel material is selected from a hydrogel coating or a hydrogel polymer coating.

6. A sensing method for detecting mercury ions, comprising: providing a sensing element having a predetermined sensing position; preparing a gel material for providing a carrier substance; preparing a quantum dot material having a fluorescent property, wherein the quantum dot material is selected from a core-shell quantum dot material or a quantum dot material having a similar core-shell structure, wherein the core-shell quantum dot material is selected from a cadmium selenide / zinc oxide quantum dot material or a quantum dot material containing cadmium selenide / zinc oxide; mixing the gel material and the quantum dot material to form a fluorescent gel material containing quantum dots, wherein the fluorescent gel material containing quantum dots has a fluorescence intensity; disposing the fluorescent gel material containing quantum dots at the predetermined sensing position of the sensing element to form a sensing film layer; and when the fluorescent gel material containing quantum dots of the sensing film layer is placed in a sample to be tested, a mercury ion concentration in the sample to be tested causes a change in the fluorescence intensity of the fluorescent gel material containing quantum dots.

7. The sensing method for detecting mercury ions as described in claim 6, wherein the sensing thin film layer is selected from a single sensing thin film layer or a composite sensing thin film layer.

8. The sensing method for detecting mercury ions according to claim 6, wherein the sensing thin film layer has a predetermined thickness range, the predetermined thickness range has a better sensitivity, and the predetermined thickness range is approximately between 1.0 μm and 6.0 μm.

9. The sensing method for detecting mercury ions according to claim 6, wherein the sensing film layer has a predetermined thickness, the predetermined thickness has a better sensitivity, and the predetermined thickness is about 5.2 μm.

10. The sensing method for detecting mercury ions as described in claim 6, wherein the sensing film layer is formed by selectively using a spin coating method, a spray coating method, or both, using a fluorescent gel material containing the mercury ion content.

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