Pyrene-contg. water-sol. probes for the fluorescent detection of nitroarom. compds. (NACs), such as explosive components (2,4-DNT and 2,​4,​6-​TNT) and herbicides (2,4-​dinitrocresol, 2,4-DNOC)​, in aq. media are reported. In the probes, the introduction of surface-​active hydrophilic heads at the periphery of lipophilic (i.e., hydrophobic) pyrene tails resulted in the formation of highly fluorescent micelle-​like aggregates​/pre-​assocs. in aq. solns. at concns. of ≤10-5M. The enhanced fluorescence quenching of the herein reported architectures is achieved in the presence of ultra-​trace amts. of TNT or 2,4-DNT with values of Stern-​Volmer quenching const. close to 1 × 105M and a detection limit as low as 182 ppb. The most hydrophilic probes demonstrated higher response to 2,​4-​DNT over TNT. Filter paper test strips impregnated with 1 × 10-​5M solns. of the probes were able to detect TNT, 2,​4-​DNT, and other NACs at levels as low as 50 ppb in water.