We present results from a study of nitrogen chemistry in Class 0/I proto-brown dwarfs (proto-BDs). We have used the IRAM 30 m telescope to observe the CN (2-1), HCN (3-2), and HNC (3-2) lines in 7 proto-BDs. All proto-BDs show a large CN/HCN abundance ratio of >20, and a HNC/HCN abundance ratio close to or larger than unity. The enhanced CN/HCN ratios can be explained by high UV flux originating from an active accretion zone in the proto-BDs. The larger than unity HNC/HCN ratio for the proto-BDs is likely caused by a combination of low temperature and high density. Both CN and HNC show a flat distribution with CO, indicating that these species can survive in regions where CO is depleted. We have investigated the correlations in the molecular abundances of these species for the proto-BDs with Class 0/I protostars. We find tentative trends of CN (HCN) abundances being about an order of magnitude higher (lower) in the proto-BDs compared to protostars. HNC for the proto-BDs shows a nearly constant abundance unlike the large spread of ~2 orders of magnitude seen for the protostars. Also notable is a rise in the HNC/HCN abundance ratio for the lowest luminosity objects, suggesting that this ratio is higher under low-temperature environments. None of the relatively evolved Class Flat/Class II brown dwarfs in our sample show emission in HNC. The HNC molecule can be considered as an efficient tracer to search and identify early stage sub-stellar mass objects.

Accepted in MNRAS