A fluorescent probe for progressive tracking glyoxal and sulfite and its application in food analysis and biological...

In this work, a mitochondrial-targeted fluorescent probe (AATC) for the progressive detection of glyoxal and SO₃^2-via the formation of a dihydroquinoxaline derivative with glyoxal was developed. The probe exhibited a robust "turn-on" fluorescence response toward glyoxal with high selectivity and sensitivity (0.25 μM) in aqueous solution, and showed potential applications in real samples with high recoveries ranging from 98.12 % to 100.88 %. Furthermore, the probe can monitor both endogenous and exogenous glyoxal, as well as dynamic fluctuations in glyoxal levels during glycolysis and carbonyl stress processes stimulated by acrolein. Importantly, through a red-shifted fluorescence decrease change elicited by the addition reaction on the imine bond of the formed dihydroquinoxaline derivative, the product of the probe with glyoxal can serve as a secondary sensor for sulfite detection, demonstrating effective monitoring capabilities in both aqueous environments and cellular systems.