Rapid and specific detection of hydrazine in environmental samples with a malononitrile functionalized DTTO probe and...

Hydrazine as prevalent industrial chemical is a highly toxic pollutant posing significant threats to both environmental and human health. Consequently, there is an urgent need for rapid and sensitive detection methods. However, existing probes often struggle to simultaneously meet demands for portability and high sensitivity. In this study, we report a novel fluorescent probe, 2-(4-(4,4-dioxidodithieno [3,2-b:2',3'-d]thiophen-2-yl)benzylidene)malononitrile (DTTO-BMN), designed for the ultrasensitive and rapid detection of hydrazine. The sensing mechanism is based on the specific nucleophilic reaction between the malononitrile group and hydrazine, which induces a pronounced fluorescence signal change within 10 min. DTTO-BMN demonstrates excellent spectral responsiveness to hydrazine, exhibiting a good linear relationship with concentration in the range of 0-60 μM, a low detection limit of 0.129 μM, and robust anti-interference capabilities. To demonstrate its practical utility, DTTO-BMN was successfully applied to analyze real soil and water samples. Utilizing a smartphone-based platform, RGB colorimetric analysis of the probe solution established a linear correlation with hydrazine concentration, enabling accurate quantitation in environmental water samples. This research presents a cost-effective, portable, and feasible strategy for intelligent hydrazine monitoring, offering broad application prospects in environmental analysis and health protection.