Hectorite/Phenanthroline-Based Nanomaterial as Fluorescent Sensor for Zinc Ion Detection: A Theoretical and Experimental Study

May 2024 in “ Nanomaterials ”

Marina Massaro, Ana Borrego‐Sánchez, César Viseras, Giuseppe Cinà, Fátima García‐Villén, Leonarda Francesca Liotta, Alberto López-Galindo, Carlos Pimentel, C. Ignacio Sainz‐Díaz, Rita Sánchez‐Espejo, Serena Riela

zinc ions alopecia biocompatibility fluorescent sensor biological monitoring Zn ions hair loss

Studysummary This study reports the synthesis of a hectorite/phenanthroline nanomaterial which acts as a potential fluorescent sensor for detecting Zn ions in water, offering a solution to the low solubility issue of traditional metal ion-detecting molecules.

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The study develops a hectorite/phenanthroline-based nanomaterial as a fluorescent sensor for detecting Zn2+ ions in aqueous solutions, emphasizing its biocompatibility and cost-effectiveness. The research combines theoretical and experimental methods, confirming the successful intercalation of phenanthroline into hectorite and its favorable adsorption energy. The nanomaterial shows selectivity for Zn2+ ions, with a detection limit of 5.2 μM, making it suitable for biological applications like detecting Zn2+ in human blood plasma. The sensor's fluorescence response is reversible, allowing for multiple detection cycles, and it remains stable with other metal ions. This eco-friendly sensor holds potential for environmental and biological monitoring, particularly due to the biological importance of Zn ions, such as their association with conditions like alopecia.

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research Plasma Zinc Levels in Males with Androgenetic Alopecia as Possible Predictors of Conservative Therapy Effectiveness

5 citations , May 2020 in “Diagnostics”

This study involving male patients with androgenic alopecia found that a higher baseline zinc plasma level, specifically above 10 µmol/L, may predict the success of treatment with 5% topical minoxidil, correlating with increased hair density and diameter in the parietal area.