A potent ratiometric detection and estimation of cyanide in the mainstream smoke of tobacco products by spectroscopic technique

Abstract

Universal anxiety for the human well-being menaces of cigarette smoking associated with excessive level of toxic metal cations and anions such as cyanide ion are the risky tobacco ingredients which are required to be detected in order to reduce the dose linked with smoke-related diseases. In the current study, a novel and simple naked-eye colorimetric probe PS5 and FPS has been synthesized by nucleophilic addition of 2,4-dinitro phenyl hydrazine with the respective aldehyde P1 and P2 to recognize cyanide ion selectively over other competitive ions. To compare the efficacy of organic and organo-metallic compounds in recognition of cyanide ion, thiazole and ferrocene derived aldehydes have been chosen. Both the probe PS5 and FPS exhibited huge bathochromic shift of ̃100 nm when cyanide ion is introduced to the probe. The emergence of a new peak and diminishing of the existing peak of the probe fulfills the prerequisite for the ratiometric recognition of cyanide ion. Eventually, it also signifies the efficient ICT in the ground state and a vibrant change in color from yellow to pink. The practical applicability of the probe in detection of cyanide ion has been tested in the mainstream smoke of tobacco products. Cyanide levels in smoke from U.S. commercial cigarettes range from 10 to 400 μg/cigarette for mainstream (inhaled) smoke and from 0.006 to 0.27 μg/cigarette for side stream smoke. Thus, our compound can detect 3.807 µg of cyanide present in the smoke which lesser than the actual permitted level of cyanide in the commercial product.