Application of a fluorescent probe exhibiting a large stokes shift after the precise detection of hydrazine in plants, foods and living cells

Abstract

As a strongly reducing agent and highly reactive alkaline substance, hydrazine is widely used in various industrial productions. Excessive hydrazine may pose a significant risk to the environment and human health. Here, a new fluorescent probe, (E)-6-(2-(3-(dicyanomethylene)-5,5-dimethylcyclohex-1-en-1-yl)vinyl) naphthalen-2-yl-7-(diethylamino)-2-oxo-2H-chromene-3-carboxylate (abbreviated as MNC) for detecting hydrazine in environmental and biological samples was introduced. The probe not only shows a good photostability, a turn-on red fluorescent response with a low detection limit (0.40 μM), but also exhibits a large Stokes shift (215 nm) after reacting with hydrazine. In practical applications, this probe has been effectively used for the detection of hydrazine in environmental, plant, and food samples. It has also been applied to identify the presence of hydrazine in the roots of Arabidopsis thaliana, as well as in zebrafish and living cells. This research introduces a potent and versatile tool for the environmental and biological monitoring of hydrazine.