Simple and rapid method for screening of pyrophosphate using 6,6-ionene-stabilized gold and silver nanoparticles

Abstract Desensitized ionene-stabilized gold and silver nanoparticles were prepared and applied as colorimetric probes for single-step determination of pyrophosphate at the relatively high concentration level. The approach is based on aggregation of the nanoparticles leading to the change in their absorption spectra and color of the solution. Due to both electrostatic and steric stabilization these nanoparticles show decreased sensitivity, which allows for simple and rapid direct single-step determination of pyrophosphate at the relatively high concentration level in real samples. Influence of different factors (the time of interaction, pH, the concentrations of pyrophosphate and the nanoparticles) on aggregation and analytical performance of the procedure was investigated. The method allows for the determination of pyrophosphate in the mass range of 90–150 μg and 45–150 μg with RSD of 2–5% by using gold and silver NPs, respectively. It has sharp dependence of the colorimetric response on the concentration of pyrophosphate, which makes it prospective for indicating deviations of the concentration regarding some declared value chosen within the above mentioned ranges using spectrophotometry or naked-eye detection. The method was applied to the analysis of baking powder sample, copper plating solution and samples of bread.