An enhanced colorimetric chemosensor for the detection of various nitro-explosives

A simple and rapid colorimetric chemosensor for the detection of several nitro-explosives is presented. The method is based on the oxidation of colorless ABTS to its intense blue-green colored radical cation ABTS+ by nitrogen dioxide, which can be generated from nitro-explosives by one of the following two methods: (i) digestion of very small amounts of explosives with alkali hydroxide, yielding nitrite anions, which in acidic medium generate nitrogen dioxide, or (ii) by thermal decomposition of nitro-explosives, which generates directly nitrogen dioxide. In these processes nitrogen dioxide acts as a catalytic intermediate, thus enhancing the detection.