Development of a dual-responsive ratiometric fluorescent probe for real-time sequential detection of H2O2 and Ag+

Abstract

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and silver ions (Ag⁺) are of considerable interest due to their critical roles in chemical and biological processes and their potential environmental and health risks. In this study, a novel dual-response ratiometric fluorescent probe (FBHP), based on an internal charge transfer (ICT) mechanism, was designed and synthesized for the real-time dual detection of H₂O₂ and Ag⁺. The probe utilizes triphenylamine as a luminescent platform, while azacrown [N, S, O] groups and phenylboronic pinacol ester groups serve as recognition sites for Ag⁺ and H₂O₂, respectively. Experimental results demonstrate that FBHP exhibits high sensitivity and excellent selectivity for H₂O₂ and Ag⁺, achieving detection limits of 0.261 μM for H₂O₂ and 0.021 μM for Ag⁺. During sequential real-time detection of H₂O₂ and Ag⁺, the probe undergoes distinct three-channel fluorescence color changes, with fluorescence colors transitioning sequentially from red to blue and then to yellow. It also features a large Stokes shift of 194 nm and functions efficiently across a broad pH range (4 to 9). In conclusion, the real-time sequential dual-responsive ratiometric fluorescent probe FBHP offers significant advantages for the detection of H₂O₂ and Ag⁺, making it highly suitable for applications in environmental monitoring and biomedical research. This probe represents an efficient and reliable tool for analyzing and detecting H₂O₂ and Ag⁺ in various fields. Future work may focus on further structural modifications to enhance its detection performance and broaden its application scope.