Highly efficient nerve agents fluorescent film probe based on organic/inorganic hybrid silica nanoparticles

Here, 1,8-naphthalimide-pyridine functionalized hybrid SiO2 nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) are successfully prepared and applied as the fluorescent film probe for Organophosphorus (OP)-based nerve agent (Sarin, Soman and Tabun) simulants. By using this novel fluorescent film probe, not only the highly selective fluorescence turn-on signals for nerve agent simulants are obtained, but also the bedeviling false-positive interferences mineral acids are discriminated exhaustively by their fluorescence turn-off response. Hereby, this study demonstrates a novel platform for multiform nerve agent simulants detection and provide an effective strategy for the identification between nerve agent simulants and acids.

Automated summary

In this study, hybrid SiO2 nanoparticles functionalized with 1,8-naphthalimide-pyridine were successfully prepared and used as a fluorescent film probe for detecting nerve agent simulants. The probe showed highly selective fluorescence turn-on signals for nerve agent simulants and effectively discriminated false-positive interferences from mineral acids by their fluorescence turn-off response. This study demonstrates a novel platform for detecting various nerve agent simulants and provides an effective strategy for distinguishing between nerve agent simulants and acids.