A colorimetric/fluorescent dual-mode probe for real-time hydrazine detection in biological, food, and environmental samples

Abstract

Hydrazine (N₂H₄), a pivotal chemical material, poses significant environmental and health risks. Accurate risk assessment necessitates highly sensitive detection methods. To address this, we introduce TPS, an innovative colorimetric/fluorescent dual-mode probe based on the triphenylamine derivative as electron-donating group and thiobarbituric acid as electron-withdrawing group, specifically designed for N₂H₄ detection in environmental and biological matrices. TPS exhibits exceptional sensitivity(detection limit:12 nM), rapid response (5 s) and stability across a broad pH range (6–10). Furthermore, we developed a smartphone-integrated sensing platform coupled with TPS-embedded test strips, enabling on-site, real-time monitoring of N₂H₄ in gaseous and aqueous phase. Critically, TPS successfully monitored N₂H₄ in diverse biological systems including living cells, bacteria, Arabidopsis thaliana, onion epidermal cells, rose petals and food samples. This work not only presents a versatile tool for N₂H₄ surveillance across multiple contexts but also paves the way for new research avenues in chemical sensing and environmental health.