Novel Ultrasensitive Fluorescent Probe for Bioimaging Carboxylesterase and Detecting Pesticide Residues in Foods

Pesticide residues pose a significant threat to food safety and human health, necessitating the development of novel detection tools. Pesticides can inhibit the activity of certain biological enzymes, so enzyme inhibition is one of the methods of pesticide detection. In this study, we developed a novel near-infrared fluorescent probe named TCFCl-CES based on the tricyanofuran structure, for ultrasensitive detection of carboxylesterase (CES). TCFCl-CES exhibits strong and stable fluorescence, excellent specificity. Notably, the fluorescence intensity of TCFCl-CES shows a linear relationship with CES concentration, achieving an exceptionally low detection limit of 4.41 × 10^-5 u/mL. This ultrasensitive probe can also effectively detect pesticide residues in vegetables and monitor CES activity in cells and liver tissues. TCFCl-CES stands out for its rapid and accurate detection capabilities, making it an essential tool for accurately monitoring pesticide residue. It also has great potential for tracking CES activity in biological systems. Additionally, it offers a robust solution for food safety and improving pesticide residue analysis.