Hg2+-Trapping Beads: Hg2+-Specific Recognition through Thymine–Hg(II)–Thymine Base Pairing

Mercury pollution poses a severe threat to human health. To remove Hg2+ from contaminated water, we synthesized Hg2+-trapping beads that include oligo-thymidine functionalities that can form thymine–Hg(II)–thymine base pairs on the solid support. The beads can selectively trap Hg2+ even in the presence of other metal cations. More interestingly, Hg2+-trapping efficiency was higher in the presence of the co-existing cations. Thus, the developed Hg2+-trapping beads can capture Hg2+ without affecting the mineral balance of water so much. The Hg2+-trapping beads presented here show promise for removing Hg2+ from environmental water.