ABSTRACT This study reports the design of an innovative solid‐state fluorometric sensor for the determination of Picric Acid (PA; 2,4,6‐trinitrophenol) by leveraging the synergistic properties of its three structural components. Specifically, the highly porous ZIF‐8 framework prevents the aggregation‐caused quenching (ACQ) of the enclosed CQDs, thereby preserving their ultra‐sensitive fluorescence signal. Concurrently, the cross‐linked polymeric matrix provides robust physical encapsulation, ensuring exceptional mechanical durability and preventing the leaching of the active nanomaterials into the aqueous media. The synthesized nanocomposite was subjected to detailed characterization (BET, FTIR, XRD, XPS, SEM, STEM, UV–vis, PL), confirming the successful creation of a high‐surface‐area structure with well‐defined chemical interactions. The sensor's practical applicability was validated using soil samples, demonstrating excellent recovery (102.3 %–103.7 %) and sensitivity (RSD: 3.15 %–4.46 %). With an impressive detection limit of 2.56 × 10 − 8 mol L − 1 , the developed method outperforms many conventional carbon quantum dot and ZIF‐8‐based sensors. An important aspect of this study is demonstrating the effect of the polymeric composite structure on stabilization. This protective layer significantly improved the material's repeatability and mechanical durability. By maintaining stable fluorescence output across repeated tests, this sensor emerges as a highly effective, stable, and sustainable tool for analyzing trace amounts of PA in environmental samples.
Toprak et al. (Thu,) studied this question.