A Near-Infrared Fluorescent Probe with a Large Stokes Shift for Detecting Hydrogen Sulfide in Environmental Waters, Wine Samples, and Living Systems

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is closely related to physiological diseases, environmental pollution, food safety, and plant growth. Herein, a new nopinone-based near-infrared fluorescent probe has been developed to detect H₂S with superior performance, including a large Stokes shift, low detection limit, good selectivity, and fast response time. <b>NPD-H</b>_<b>2</b><b>S</b> was used to detect H₂S in environmental water and wine samples quantitatively. In addition, <b>NPD-H</b>_<b>2</b><b>S</b> could be used to fabricate nanofiber membranes as a portable tool for sensitively detecting H₂S vapor using a smartphone. Moreover, <b>NPD-H</b>_<b>2</b><b>S</b> has been effectively used to image H₂S in HeLa cells, MCF-7 cells, and zebrafish. More importantly, the probe monitored the presence of H₂S upregulation processes in <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i> under salt stress by bioimaging. This work provides a concept for the intervention of external stresses in plant cultivation. Therefore, probe <b>NPD-H</b>_<b>2</b><b>S</b> can effectively monitor the fluctuation of H₂S in the environment and living systems.