A novel fluorescent-colorimetric probe for Al and Zn ion detection with different response and applications in F detection and cell imaging.

A novel Schiff base fluorescence probe (HL) was synthesized by the condensation of salicylaldehyde and an 8-aminoquinoline derivative. This probe acts as a "turn-on" dual selectivity fluorescence probe for Zn and Al ions, providing different colors and detection limits (DL) of 11.5 and 23.5 nM, respectively. Moreover, when Zn and Al co-exist, HL exhibits a preference for Al by displacing Zn from the HL-Zn complex, realizing a dual-channel signal output for Al. The HL-Al system could further discern F by a "turn-off" fluorescence response with a DL of 86.0 nM. Furthermore, the probe HL was capable of monitoring intracellular Al, Zn and F in living PC12 cells in vitro through fluorescence imaging, which proved its value in potential in vivo applications.