Design and synthesis of a novel fluorescent probe for the detection of bisulfite in plant and zebrafish

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) and its derivative bisulfite (SO32−/HSO3−) have a serious impact on the human health and environment. Therefore, the development of highly sensitive and specific detection methods for SO2 and its derivative is of great significance for environmental monitoring, food safety, and related disease research. In this paper, probe TPN-DP based on the triphenylamine fluorophore was developed to enable the imaging and detection of HSO3− in plant and zebrafish. In PBS buffer solution, the designed probe TPN-DP can react with HSO3− by highly selective nucleophilic addition reaction, leading to a sensitive change in the color of probe TPN-DP solution from pink to colorless. The changes in fluorescence and color can be easily recognized by the naked eye. Moreover, probe TPN-DP exhibited a fast response time of 8 min, high sensitivity of 19.4 nM, and excellent selectivity for sensing HSO3−. With the help of probe TPN-DP, the detection of HSO3− was successfully achieved in water sample and various biological systems, including onion epidermal cells, tobacco seedling roots, and zebrafish. These findings not only provide valuable insights into the biological role of HSO3− but also offer a promising analytical method for efficient HSO3− recognition.