Ratiometric fluorescence Turn On probe for fast and selective detection of TNT in solution, solid and vapour

Fluorescent probe UREA-TP undergoes nearly 600% increase in emission intensity at 310 nm on addition of 1 equivalent of TNT, but the emission band centered at 440 nm remains unchanged. UREA-TP acts as a ratiometric fluorescence turn-on probe and can detect TNT between 10(-9) to 10(-5) M with limit of detection as low as 100 pM. Paper strips coated with UREA-TP on interaction with TNT become fluorescent purple under 365 nm light and can determine both qualitatively and quantitatively as low as 10 mu l solution of 10(-13) M TNT, which accounts for 2.27 x 10(-16) g cm(-2) TNT, significantly lower than the TNT concentration allowed in drinking water by EPA. The common nitroaromatic derivatives 2,4-DNT, 2,6-DNT, picric acid and 2,4-DNP, the pain killers, food supplements and inorganic anions show insignificant interference in the determination of TNT using UREA-TP. The aggregate size determination using dynamic light scattering analysis and morphological studies using TEM investigations reveals that UREA-TP in H2O-DMSO (98:2) remains in aggregate state with average size of 200 nm, which undergo further aggregation to larger size aggregates with increasing amounts of TNT. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.