Smartphone-Enabled Colorimetric Trinitrotoluene Detection Using Amine-Trapped Polydimethylsiloxane Membranes

A smartphone-enabled platform for easy and portably colorimetric analysis of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) using amine-trapped PDMS is designed and implemented. The amine-trapped polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is simply prepared by immersing the cured PDMS in aminosilane solutions forming an amine-containing polymer. After contacting with TNT-containing solutions, the colorless PDMS showed a rapid colorimetric change which can be easily identified by the naked eye. The amine-trapped PDMS was carefully optimized to achieve visible detection of TNT at concentrations as low as 1 μM. Using an integrated camera in the smartphone, pictures of colored PDMS membranes can be analyzed by a home-developed mobile application. Thus, the TNT amount can be precisely quantified. Direct TNT detection in real samples (e.g., drinking, tap, and lake waters) is demonstrated as well. The smartphone-enabled colorimetric method using amine-trapped PDMS membranes realizes a convenient and efficient approach toward a portable system for field TNT detections.