A turn-on colorimetric dual-response fluorescent probe for rapid detecting and its application in bio-imaging and real water samples

• Published in: Optical materials 2022-09, Vol.131, p.112625, Article 112625
• Main Authors: Zhang, Cheng-lu, Li, Xiang-ling, Jiang, Yan-hua, Zhang, Yi-ning, Xie, Yan-xuan, Li, Yi-zheng, Liu, Cui
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 8-Naphthalimide; Bio-imaging; Diselenide; Fluorescent probe; H2S
• ISSN: 0925-3467; 1873-1252
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2022.112625

A novel fluorescent probe (DSHN) was designed and synthesized. Two 4-hydrazino-N-hydroxyethyl-1, 8-naphthalimide blocks were used as the fluorophores, and the diselenide bond (-Se-Se-) and the amide bond (–CONH–) were used as the nucleophilic dual-response reaction sites of hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Large Stokes shift (111 nm) and good stability over a wide pH range of DSHN are obtained. The results of the experiments of fluorescence spectra show that DSHN can recognize H2S high selectively and sensitively. The turn-on effect is evident and the time response is rapid (60 s). The limit of detection (LOD) of DSHN fluorescence detection of H2S is low at 61.0 nM. Particularly, DSHN can not only be used as an ideal colorimetric tool for detecting H2S in real water samples, but also image H2S in living cells, indicating its potential utility for the fluorescence detection of H2S in environmental and biological samples. •A turn-on based colorimetric-fluorescent sensor DSHN was synthesized.•DSHN displayed high selectivity and sensitivity to H2S in aqueous solution.•DSHN could initial screen and accurately analyze environmental samples containing H2S.