A carbazole-hemicyanine dye based ratiometric fluorescent probe for selective detection of bisulfite (HSO3−) in cells and C. elegans

Abstract

Bisulfite (HSO3−) is an important sulfur dioxide (SO2) derivative, which plays a major role in many physiological processes and is also closely associated with a variety of diseases. Thus the development of highly selective and sensitive fluorescent probes is essential to detect HSO3ˉ in living cells. In this work, we report the synthesis and analysis of a ratiometric fluorescent probe for selective detection of HSO3ˉ based on the 1,4-nucleophilic addition reaction with the carbazole as an electron donor (D) and aldehyde group as an electron acceptor (A). The addition of HSO3ˉ and other ions to our probe can be observed by UV ­ vis and fluorescence spectrometry. Our investigation proved that the probe is highly selective and sensitive for HSO3ˉ and ratiometric changes. Moreover, the probe has good cell permeability and was successfully applied to the detection of exogenous HSO3ˉ in Hela cells and C. elegans.