Poly(acrylic acid)-templated silver nanoclusters as a platform for dual fluorometric turn-on and colorimetric detection of mercury (II) ions

► The poly(acrylic acid)-templated silver nanoclusters have been demonstrated as rapid fluorescence turn-on and colorimetric probes for Hg2+ detection. ► The protocol shows high sensitivity as low as 2 nM. ► It was successfully applied to the determination of Hg2+ in real water samples.