Instant Mercury Ion Detection in Industrial Waste Water with a Microchip Using Extended Gate Field-Effect Transistors and a Portable Device

Abstract

Mercury ion selective membrane (Hg-ISM) coated extended gate Field Effect transistors (ISM-FET) were used to manifest a novel methodology for ion-selective sensors based on FET’s, creating ultra-high sensitivity (−36 mV/log [Hg2+]) and outweighing ideal Nernst sensitivity limit (−29.58 mV/log [Hg2+]) for mercury ion. This highly enhanced sensitivity compared with the ion-selective electrode (ISE) (10−7 M) has reduced the limit of detection (10−13 M) of Hg2+ concentration’s magnitude to considerable orders irrespective of the pH of the test solution. Systematical investigation was carried out by modulating sensor design and bias voltage, revealing that higher sensitivity and a lower detection limit can be attained in an adequately stronger electric field. Our sensor has a limit of detection of 10−13 M which is two orders lower than Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), having a limit of detection of 10−11 M. The sensitivity and detection limit do not have axiomatic changes under the presence of high concentrations of interfering ions. The technology offers economic and consumer friendly water quality monitoring options intended for homes, offices and industries.