Fluorescent Sensing Assay for Trinitrotoluene Using Fluorescein Isothiocyanate Conjugated Mesoporous MCM-41 Particles.

In the present study, Trinitrotoluene (TNT) has been detected by the formation of Meisenheimer complex using Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) dye loaded Mesoporous silica particles (MCM-41). FITC dye loaded mesoporous silica particles (MCM-41/FITC) have been synthesized using (3-Aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane, APTMS (λex = 490 nm and λem = 512 nm). TNT forms Meisenheimer complex with the amine group of APTMS present on MCM-41 particles. The loading of FITC in the pores of MCM-41 particles has been confirmed by different advanced characterization techniques. The average diameter of mesoporous MCM-41 particles was found about 130 nm. Pore volume is observed to decrease from 1.06 cm3/g to 0.49 cm3/g after FITC loading. The selective detection of TNT up to 0.1 ppb level makes MCM-41/FITC particles a potential sensing material for TNT detection.