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. 2023 Jul 5;15(26):32024-32036.
doi: 10.1021/acsami.3c05931. Epub 2023 Jun 20.

Silica Nanoparticle/Fluorescent Dye Assembly Capable of Ultrasensitively Detecting Airborne Triacetone Triperoxide: Proof-of-Concept Detection of Improvised Explosive Devices in the Workroom

Andrea Revilla-Cuesta  1 , Irene Abajo-Cuadrado  1 , María Medrano  1 , Mateo M Salgado  1 , Manuel Avella  2 , María Teresa Rodríguez  1 , José García-Calvo  1 , Tomás Torroba  1
Affiliations

Silica Nanoparticle/Fluorescent Dye Assembly Capable of Ultrasensitively Detecting Airborne Triacetone Triperoxide: Proof-of-Concept Detection of Improvised Explosive Devices in the Workroom

Andrea Revilla-Cuesta et al. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. .

Abstract

We describe the proof of concept of a portable testing setup for the detection of triacetone triperoxide (TATP), a common component in improvised explosive devices. The system allows for field testing and generation of real-time results to test for TATP vapor traces in air by simply using circulation of the air samples through the sensing mechanism under the air conditioning system of an ordinary room. In this way, the controlled trapping of the analyte in the chemical sensor gives reliable results at extremely low concentrations of TATP in air under real-life conditions, suitable for daily use in luggage storage for airlines or a locker room for a major sporting event. The reported fluorescent methodology is very sensitive and selective, allowing for the trapping of triacetone triperoxide in the chemical sensor to give reliable results at very low concentrations in air under ambient conditions, by comparing the fluorescence of the material before and after exposition to TATP traces in air.

Keywords: aggregation-induced emission materials; chemical sensors; fluorescent materials; improvised explosive devices; triacetone triperoxide; vapor phase detection.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing financial interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
(a) Structure of chemical probes used for the study. (b) Model of the chemical probe AR82s on silica. (c, e) Structural and (d) elemental TEM images of the AR82s@SiO2 nanoparticles. (f) Elemental composition of the AR82s@SiO2 nanoparticles and high-resolution TEM images.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(a) Microfluidic device dimensions: Eppendorf: outer top diameter: 11 mm, inner top diameter: 9 mm, outer bottom diameter: 5 mm, inner bottom diameter: 3 mm, volume: 1.5 mL, height (with lid): 40 mm, height (without lid): 38 mm; tubing: outer diameter: 3 mm, inner diameter: 1.5 mm, length (flow tube): 25 mm, length (return tube:): 35 mm. (b) The actual aspect of the system; reproduced from ref (48) with permission from the Chinese Chemical Society (CCS), Institute of Chemistry of Chinese Academy of Sciences (IC), and the Royal Society of Chemistry. (c) Fluorescence changes with TATP gas. (d) Titration curves of AR82s@SiO2 and TATP vapor. (e) Fluorescent profile at 535 nm and (f) calibration for the limit of detection of AR82s@SiO2 nanoparticles under increasing concentrations of TATP vapor. λexc = 370 nm, λem = 535 nm.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) Distribution of TATP sample (yellow arrow) and sensor samples (red arrows) in the room. (b) Close view of the arrangement of the TATP sample (yellow arrow) in front of the airflow outlet and the sensing material samples (red arrows). (c) Histogram plotting the differences in intensity emission in all cases before and after exposure to TATP vapors as a function of distance from the TATP source and temperature of the room, normalized to the top and reference signals. (d) A sample of sensing material showing the modified nanoparticles.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Summary of experiments 7–12. (a) Arrangement of the TATP in front of the airflow outlet. (b) Distribution of sensing nanoparticles in the room. (c) 3D representation of the variation of the normalized emission intensity as a function of the distance to the TATP source. (d) Assembly of the nanoparticles for measurements. (e) Details of one sample of AR82@SiO2.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Average and standard deviation of normalized emission variation as a function of the distance to the TATP source.
Figure 6
Figure 6
(a) View of the room for the experiment, (b) the TATP sample and the sensing material at different distances from the TATP, (c) picture of the sensing material placed at 25 cm from the TATP source, under a UV lamp, before (up) and after (down) being exposed to TATP, (d) picture (down) captured by the mobile phone app, and (e) the app assigned a positive value after comparing the RGB values in the selected point with the customized database.
Figure 7
Figure 7
(a) Titration curves, TATP titration. (b) Fluorescence profile at 500 nm, TATP titration. (c) Calibration plot for the limit of detection of 2.5 μM GC2 solutions in DCM under increasing concentrations of TATP. (d) Image of solutions before and after TATP titration. (e) Titration curves, m-CPBA titration. (f) Fluorescence profile at 500 nm, m-CPBA titration. (g) Calibration plot for the limit of detection. (h) Fluorescence profile at the corresponding working curves of the ratiometric probe in the presence of m-CPBA.
Figure 8
Figure 8
1H NMR (CDCl3, 500 MHz) titration of AR82s with increasing amounts of TATP in the presence of amberlite, 3 mg of AR82s in 0.5 mL of CDCl3, and TATP amounts: (1) 0 μg, (2) 5 μg, (3) 10 μg, (4) 15 μg, (5) 20 μg, (6) 30 μg, (7) 40 μg, (8) 60 μg, (9) 90 μg, (10) 150 μg, (11) 300 μg, (12) 500 μg, (13) 800 μg, (14) 1400 μg, (15) 3200 μg, (16) 6800 μg, (17) 10 400 μg, (18) 15 800 μg as total added TATP after each addition, (a) 2.8–4.0 ppm region, (b) 7.5–8.7 ppm region.
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References

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