Development of europium(III) complex fluorescent probe for hydrogen sulfide detection and its application in water samples

Abstract

AbstractHydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a crucial endogenous signaling component in organisms that is involved in redox homeostasis and numerous biological processes. Modern medical research has confirmed that hydrogen sulfide plays an important role in the pathogenesis of many diseases. Herein, a fluorescent probe Eu(ttbd)3abt based on europium(III) complex was designed and synthesized for the detection of H2S. Eu(ttbd)3abt exhibited significant quenching for H2S at long emission wavelength (625 nm), with rapid detection ability (less than 2 min), high sensitivity [limit of detection (LOD) = 0.41 μM], and massive Stokes shift (300 nm). Additionally, this probe showed superior selectivity for H2S despite the presence of other possible interference species such as biothiols. Furthermore, the probe Eu(ttbd)3abt was successfully applied to detect H2S in water samples.