A unique ratiometric fluorescent probe for detection of SO2 derivatives in living cells and real food samples.

Abnormal levels of SO2 in organisms can cause cardiovascular disease and respiratory allergies. In addition, the amount of SO2 derivatives used as food preservatives is strictly controlled, and excessive addition can also be harmful to health. Therefore, it is essential to develop a highly sensitive method for the detection of SO2 and its derivatives in biological systems and real food samples. In this work, a new fluorescent probe (TCMs) with high selectivity and sensitivity for the detection of SO2 derivatives was reported. The TCMs could quickly identify SO2 derivatives. It has been successfully used to detect exogenous and endogenous SO2 derivatives. Furthermore, the TCMs has high sensitivity to SO2 derivatives in food samples. Moreover, the prepared test strips could be evaluated for the content of SO2 derivatives in aqueous solutions. This work provides a potential chemical tool to detect SO2 derivatives in living cells and real food samples.