A deep-red xanthene-based highly sensitive fluorescent probe for detection of hypochlorite

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Chemical Sensing
• Fluorescent Probes

Background:

• Hypochlorous acid (HClO) and hypochlorite (ClO⁻) are vital industrial chemicals but pose health risks at high concentrations.
• Developing specific and sensitive detection methods for ClO⁻ is crucial for monitoring its levels and mitigating associated health hazards.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a novel deep-red xanthene-based fluorescent probe (XA-CN) for selective ClO⁻ detection.
• To investigate the detection mechanism and evaluate the probe's performance in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, and applicability.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a xanthene-based fluorescent probe (XA-CN) featuring a dicyano group.
• Spectroscopic analysis (fluorescence and UV-Vis absorption) to study probe-ClO⁻ interactions.
• Determination of the limit of detection (LOD) and assessment of probe performance in a mixed solvent system (DMSO/PBS).

Main Results:

• The synthesized probe XA-CN exhibited strong deep-red fluorescence emission.
• XA-CN demonstrated a selective turn-off fluorescence response to ClO⁻ at 643 nm.
• A low limit of detection (1.64 μM) was achieved, with the mechanism involving oxidation of the probe by ClO⁻.
• The probe was successfully applied to detect ClO⁻ in tap water samples.

Conclusions:

• The developed XA-CN probe is a highly sensitive and selective tool for detecting hypochlorite.
• The probe's deep-red emission and successful application in real samples highlight its potential for practical ClO⁻ monitoring.
• This work contributes to the development of advanced fluorescent sensors for reactive oxygen species.