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

Abstract

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 "turn-on" 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.