A turn-on fluorescence probe for hydrogen sulfide in absolute aqueous solution

Area of Science:

• Chemical Sensing
• Analytical Chemistry
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a crucial signaling molecule in biological systems.
• Developing selective and sensitive probes for H2S detection is essential for biological research.
• Existing methods for H2S detection may lack specificity or sensitivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel turn-on fluorescence probe for sensitive and selective detection of H2S.
• To investigate the sensing mechanism based on the thiolysis reaction of dinitrophenyl ethers.
• To evaluate the probe's performance in biological samples and real-world applications.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of the DPPVP probe, featuring a pyridinium structure for enhanced water solubility.
• Utilizing the thiolysis reaction between H2S and dinitrophenyl ethers for fluorescence turn-on.
• Characterizing the probe's response to H2S using fluorescence spectroscopy in PBS solution.
• Assessing selectivity against common biothiols and determining the linear range and detection limit.
• Applying the probe for H2S detection in vegetable samples.

Main Results:

• The DPPVP probe exhibited a turn-on fluorescence response at 520 nm upon reaction with H2S.
• The probe demonstrated high sensitivity with a linear detection range of 0-40 μM and a low detection limit of 13.4 nM.
• DPPVP showed excellent selectivity for H2S over other biologically relevant thiols, attributed to pKa and size differences.
• Successful application of the probe for detecting H2S in vegetable samples was achieved.

Conclusions:

• The developed DPPVP probe is a promising tool for sensitive and selective H2S detection.
• The probe's water solubility and rapid response make it suitable for biological applications.
• DPPVP offers a reliable method for H2S quantification in complex matrices like vegetables.