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Gold nanoparticles-based colorimetric determination of cationic surfactants in environmental water samples via both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions

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Abstract

We report on a simple, rapid and sensitive colorimetric assay for the quantitation of cationic surfactants (CS+) in domestic effluent, municipal waste and surface water samples. The method is based on the aggregation of tartrate-capped gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) through both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions that occur between CS+ and AuNPs. Aggregation results in a color change from pink to blue which is due to a shift in the localized surface plasmon resonance band. The detergent cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) was chosen as a model compound for optimization of the method for determination of a CS+. Under optimized experimental conditions (pH 9.0; reaction time 5 min; 25 nM concentration of AuNPs), a linear calibration plot was obtained for quantitative determination of CPC, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), dodecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (DTAB) in the range of 10–500, 10–200 and 10–300 ngmL−1, respectively and the limit of detection was 3 ngmL−1 for CPC, CTAB and DTAB.

The method is based on the aggregation of tartrate-capped AuNPs through both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions that occur between CS+ and AuNPs. Aggregation results in a color chenge from pink to blue.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Department of Science Technology, New Delhi for awarding Kamlesh Shrivas a fast track project (NO.SB/FT/CS-128/2012) to furnish this research work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur, CG, 495009, India

    Kamlesh Shrivas, Swapan Sahu & Anupam Ghorai

  2. Nanoscience and Nanoengineering Program, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD, 57701, USA

    Ravi Shankar

  3. Fujifilm Imaging Colorants, Inc, 233 Cherry Lane, New Castle, DE, 19720, USA

    Ravi Shankar

Authors
  1. Kamlesh Shrivas
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  2. Swapan Sahu
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  3. Anupam Ghorai
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  4. Ravi Shankar
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kamlesh Shrivas.

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Shrivas, K., Sahu, S., Ghorai, A. et al. Gold nanoparticles-based colorimetric determination of cationic surfactants in environmental water samples via both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. Microchim Acta 183, 827–836 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-015-1689-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-015-1689-z

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