Combination of imine bond and samarium emitter enables turn-off fluorescence detection of hydrazine in vapor and water samples

The development of convenient and efficient fluorescence techniques is of great significance for selective detection and precise determination of biotoxic N2H4 in human health and environmental sciences. By the preorganization-assisted template synthesis, disclosed here is a luminescent Sm(III) macrocycle-based probe Sm-2(m) bearing dynamic imine bonds as recognition moieties which provides the selective and ratiometric turn-off fluorescence sensing for N2H4 over various amine species based on the N2H4-induced structure transformation. This fluorescent sensing process finished within 20 min shows the low limit of detection (0.18 mu M, 7.2 ppb) and wide linear sensing range (0-60.0 mu M). Furthermore, probe Sm-2(m) is also be used to quantitatively determine N2H4 in vapor gas and water samples through fluorescence color changes, which are evaluated by the Sm-2(m)-impregnated test paper strips and RGB value outputs. Finally, our proposed smartphone-based analytical method gives satisfactory N2H4 detection results. It is thus believed that this work can shed some lights on development of optical probes and detection techniques for N2H4, even other hazardous chemicals.

Automated summary

The study presents a convenient and efficient fluorescence technique for selective detection and precise determination of biotoxic N2H4. A luminescent probe based on Sm(III) macrocycles is synthesized to achieve selective and ratiometric turn-off fluorescence sensing for N2H4, showing low detection limit and wide linear sensing range. The proposed smartphone-based analytical method provides satisfactory N2H4 detection results, shedding light on the development of optical probes and detection techniques for N2H4 and other hazardous chemicals.