A turn-on fluorescent probe based on benzothiazole for H 2 S detection and its multiple applications in water samples and food spoilage

Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) is a common hazardous gas, which is associated with environmental water pollution and food spoilage. Herein, a turn-on benzothiazole-based fluorescent probe ( BATD ) was synthesized for detecting H 2 S and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, NMR and MS. BATD exhibited enhanced fluorescence signal at 600 nm with a remarked Stokes shift (145 nm), rapid response (within 90 s) and sensitivity (limit of detection, LOD = 76 nM) for H 2 S detection. The probe was significantly fluorescent enhancement in response to H 2 S over the other analytes. In addition, BATD was employed to detect H 2 S in water samples and monitor H 2 S gas generated from food spoilage. Benefiting from the excellent performance of the probe in recognizing H 2 S, a convenient H 2 S sensing platform for smartphones had been successfully established.