A biomimetic sensor for the detection of lead in water.

The monitoring of lead (II) ions (Pb(2+)) in water is essential for both human health and the environment. Herein, a simple yet innovative biosensor for Pb(2+) detection is presented. The sensor is developed by the self-assembly of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) core-satellite structure using naturally occurring tripeptide glutathione (GSH) as linker. The addition of Pb(2+) caused a red-to-blue color change and the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) band was shifted to ca. 650nm. The limit of detection (LOD) is found to be 47.6nM (9.9ppb) by UV-vis spectroscopy with high selectivity against other heavy metals. This method offers a new strategy for heavy metal detection using functionalized GNPs.