Construction of a turn-on fluorescent probe for detecting formaldehyde in biological systems and real food samples

The monitoring of formaldehyde (FA) in biosystems and real foods is critical for ensuring human health and food safety. However, the development of effective and highly selective assays for sensing FA in organisms and real food samples remains challenging. Herein, a hydrophilic group-modified the probe (Nap-FA) was reported, which utilizes the specific chemical reaction between FA and hydrazino to trigger a "turn-on" fluorescence response. The probe Nap-FA displayed superior selectivity, high sensitivity, good photostability and a low detection limit in the reaction with FA. Notably, Nap-FA has been successfully used for imaging FA in cells, zebrafish, and plant root tissues. In addition, the rationally constructed probe Nap-FA could rapidly and visually detect FA in real food samples. This work provides a prospective approach for monitoring FA in complex biological systems and food fields.