Selective Fluorescent Probe for Hydrogen Sulfide and Its Application in Monitoring Food Freshness

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a recognized toxic gas, has emerged as a key indicator of food spoilage and a potential threat to water safety. Herein, a new fluorescent probe PHZ was designed and synthesized for sensing H2S. When added to PBS (10 mM, pH 7.40) solution, the probe PHZ exhibited a remarkable “turnon” emission response at 450 nm producing a significant blue fluorescence. The probe PHZ demonstrated excellent selectivity and anti-interference performance in complex environments. It also exhibited good sensitivity for the detection of H2S; however, detection was limited to 0.23 μM. Moreover, the probe PHZ was successfully used for the detection of H2S in environmental water samples and monitoring food spoilage process. In summary, this study highlights the potential of fluorescent probes like PHZ for evaluating environmental water pollution and food freshness.

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