Direct visual detection and quantification of mercury in fresh fish meat using facilely prepared polymeric sensory labels

We describe herein the direct visual detection of mercury in fish and water using easily prepared polymeric labels. The polymeric film has chemically anchored dithizone motifs. The sensory film is prepared from a conventional vinyl polymer by straightforward solid-phase reactions. The sensory material is stable under ambient conditions, is reusable and can be handled without care by unskilled persons. Upon contacting fish meal, the sensory film changes colour, allowing for the colourimetric quantification of the mercury content in the fish with the naked eye or using the colour definition of a digital picture. Moreover, the sensory film can also be used to detect mercury in water (limit of detection of 1.60 ppb) and to extract mercury from water media.