An organopalladium chemical dosimeter of Hg²⁺ that methylates Hg²⁺, undergoing a colour change in 1 : 1 ethanol–water with submicromolar sensitivity, gives rise to an aqua–palladium complex that is methylated by MeHg⁺ in the presence of a dithiol compound, undergoing another colour change, thus making the system suitable for the naked-eye detection of Hg²⁺ and MeHg⁺, two environmentally important species of Hg²⁺.

Speciation of Hg²⁺ and MeHg⁺ has been achieved by in vitro approaches with fluorogenic probes supported in cultured cells.

Silica nanomaterials generate a permanent and strongly fluorescent response in a vapour flow of the improvised explosive triacetone triperoxide (TATP).