A new "turn-on" fluorescent probe for visual detection of hydrogen sulfide]

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is one of the important parameters for characterizing water pollution. Therefore, fast and effective detection method is in great need. Fluorescence analysis method gains wide attention because of unparalleled advantages. A new colorimetric and fluorescent "turn-on" probe for H2S detection based on thiolysis by H2S was reported. 2-(2'-Hydroxyphenyl) benzimidazole (HBI), a kind of excited-state intramolecular proton transfer dye was chosen as the fluorophore because of large Stokes shift and high fluorescence quantum yield. It was found that the fluorescence intensity of testing system increased with the addition of H2S and accompanied with a color change from pale yellow to purple. The visual detection limit was 3 micromol x L(-1). The new fluorescent probe showed a good selectivity for H2S over other anions and a good fluorescence response in a relatively wide pH range. The response process was finished in five minutes with a 100-fold fluorescence enhancement. The probe provides a new method for the detection of H2S.