Base-driven sunlight oxidation of silver nanoprisms for label-free visual colorimetric detection of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine explosive

Here we report a label-free method for visual colorimetric detection of hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (HTT) explosive based on base-driven sunlight oxidation of silver nanoprisms (AgNPRs). Under natural sunlight illumination, the surface plasmon of AgNPRs is excited, which populates O2 antibonding orbitals to generate negative-ion state (O2−). The resultant O2− with a strong oxidation activity can etch AgNPRs to smaller nanodisks with the aid of NaOH aqueous solution, leading to a blue shift of the absorption peak and color change from blue to pink. However, when HTT is introduced, the resultant O2− will be consumed by the nitrite and formaldehyde that are produced from the alkaline hydrolysis of HTT. Under this condition, the etching of AgNPRs does not occur, and the detection solution remains blue. This assay can sensitively detect as low as 1 nM HTT, a level which is three orders of magnitude lower than that of gold nanoparticle-based colorimetric assays (2.6 μM), and shows linearity in the range of 0.003-3.3 μM. The lowest detectable concentration with the naked eye is 0.1 μM. Additionally, the present assay exhibits good selectivity, and can be applied in the detection of HTT in natural water and soil samples with recoveries ranging from 90% to 100%.