SCIENTISTS at Pohang University of Science and Technology and Yonsei University in South Korea have developed a probe for mercury detection which can be used for imaging organs in living organisms.
Though mercury is a highly toxic and widespread pollutant, most probes only detect it in its inorganic forms.
Detection of organic mercury species such as methylmercury is very uncommon, even though it is the organic species which is found in organisms.
The organic versions are more toxic than inorganic mercury as their lipophilicity allows them to cross biological membranes
The researchers developed a structurally simple probe which reacts with both organic and inorganic mercury, producing a fluorescent product.
The probe has been used to monitor mercury species in mammalian cells and zebra fish organs incubated with organic mercury.
Previous probes developed for inorganic mercury detection use sulphur-based lignads, the scientists involved in developing the organic probe have instead looked towards the field of oxymercuration reactions.
The researchers say the probe is essentially a chemodosimeter or reagent rather than a sensor because the reaction between the probe and mercury is irreversible.
The scientists believe the probe could be vital to the study of mercury poising. The next step in the development is to make a probe which is more discriminating to identify inorganic mercury from methylmercury.
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