Synthesis and application of purine-based fluorescence probe for continuous recognition of Cu2+ and glyphosate

•The probe PHA can specifically detect Cu2+ with high selectivity, high sensitivity and good detection limits.•The PHA-Cu2+ complex can be used for the detection of organophosphorus pesticide residues.•The use of purine-based fluorescent probes for the detection of pesticide residues is a new approach.•The probe PHA has good biocompatibility and low toxicity.•The probe PHA and PHA-Cu2+ system have been successfully applied to intracellular fluorescence imaging.