IIT Guwahati Develops Nanocrystal Tool for Mercury Detection in Cells and Environment

Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati researchers have developed a novel tool to detect harmful metals in living cells and the environment (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
IIT Guwahati Develops State-of-the-Art Nanomaterial for Mercury Detection in Cells and Environment

Go to source). The study was led by Prof. Saikat Bhaumik, Assistant Professor, Department of Physics, in collaboration with Prof. Chandan Goswami, Associate Professor, NISER Bhubaneswar. This method is cost-effective in identifying toxic metals like mercury in human cells.

The tool can revolutionize disease diagnosis and environmental monitoring by improving the detection and management of metal toxicity in biological systems. The research mainly used perovskite nanocrystals, known for their exceptional properties making them ideal for detecting metal ions.

Mercury Detection with Perovskite Nanocrystals

These nanocrystals are about 100,000 times smaller than human hair, interacting with light differently, making them suitable as fluorescent probes inside living cells. However, their quick degradation in water has limited their applications.

The researchers encapsulated the perovskite nanocrystals in silica and polymer coating to enhance their stability and luminescent intensity in water. This maintains their functionality for an extended time and makes them effective for practical use.

The modified nanocrystals emit a bright green light under specific wavelengths and detect the mercury ions precisely. These ions are hazardous even at minimum concentrations. Mercury exposure through contaminated food, water, inhalation, or skin contact can cause adverse health risks like nervous system damage, organ dysfunction, and cognitive impairments.

Non-Toxic Nanocrystals for Precise Mercury Detection

The team’s nanocrystals demonstrated high sensitivity, detecting mercury levels as low as a few nanomolar concentrations. The nanocrystals were non-toxic when tested on live mammalian cells, preserving cell function while effectively monitoring mercury ions.

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Prof. Saikat Bhaumik, Assistant Professor, Department of Physics, IIT Guwahati, said, _“One of the standout features of these perovskite nanocrystals is their narrow emission linewidth, which is desirable for improving the sensitivity due to the high signal-to-noise-ratio-for-metallic-detection. Traditional imaging methods have problems like light scattering, making it difficult to capture clear images from deeper cell layers. The ability of the perovskite nanocrystals to undergo multiphoton absorption overcomes this limitation, allowing for sharper and more detailed imaging. These properties make them ideal for advanced fluorescence imaging in medical and biological research.”

These nanocrystals can play a vital role in identifying other toxic metals in biological systems and can potentially used in drug delivery, enabling real-time monitoring of treatment efficacy. The research findings are published in Journal of Materials Chemistry C and Materials Today Chemistry.

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These articles are co-authored by Prof. Saikat Bhaumik and his research team comprising Prof. Chandan Goswami, Mr. Ashutosh Mohapatra, Ms. Kajol Sahoo, Mr. Tusar Kanta Acharya, Mr. Satish Kumar, Mr. Nishant Kumar Dubey.

Reference:

1. IIT Guwahati Develops State-of-the-Art Nanomaterial for Mercury Detection in Cells and Environment - (https://www.iitg.ac.in/iitg_press_details?p=164/iit-guwahati-develops-state-of-the-art-nanomaterial-for-mercury-detection-in-cells-and-environment)

Source-Medindia