Chromogenic Detection of Aqueous Formaldehyde Using Functionalized Silica Nanoparticles

Silica nanoparticles functionalized with thiol reactive units and bulky polar polyamines were used for the selective colorimetric detection of formaldehyde. The reaction of thiols groups in the nanoparticles surface with a squaraine dye resulted in loss of the π-conjugation of the chromophores, and the subsequent bleaching of the solution. However, when formaldehyde was present in the suspension, the thiol-squaraine reaction was inhibited and a chromogenic response was observed. A selective response to formaldehyde was observed only when the thiol and polyamine groups were anchored to the silica surface. The observed selective response was ascribed to the fact that bulky polyamines generate a highly polar environment around thiols, which were only able to react with the small and polar formaldehyde, but not with other aldehydes. The sensing nanoparticles showed a limit of detection (LOD) for formaldehyde of 36 ppb in water.