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A quantitative colorimetric sensing strategy utilizing cysteamine modified gold nanoparticles (CA–AuNPs) as reporters for Hg2+ and melamine was demonstrated. Cysteamine is a cheap and commercially available aminothiol and is also the most important chelating ligand in coordination chemistry possessing the ability to coordinate to Hg2+ and melamine. The terminal thiol group in cysteamine is used to bind to AuNPs and another terminal amine group is used as a colorimetric probe either for Hg2+ or melamine. By adjusting the pH, protonation of cysteamine's terminal amine groups allows for tuning of the surface charge on the cysteamine-modified gold nanoparticles. At acidic pH, the CA–AuNPs are positively charged due to the protonated amine groups, which may electrostatically bind melamine resulting in aggregation of CA–AuNPs, while at alkaline pH, the amine groups are deprotonated, and if Hg2+ is present, they may form an N–Hg2+–N structure to induce the aggregation of CA–AuNPs. The detection limits (S/N = 3) of Hg2+ and melamine were 30 nM and 80 nM respectively, which were comparable with or even lower than those of other single analyte methods. The proposed sensing mechanisms, which are based on electrostatic attraction for melamine and the N–Hg2+–N structure for Hg2+, were validated by zeta potential measurements. The facile one-step surface modification strategy for AuNPs is suitable for the effective analysis of large numbers of samples, which would open new opportunities for development of miniaturized Hg2+ and melamine sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]