A versatile electrochemical, colorimetric, and visible light excitable turn-on fluorescent probe for stress-induced HS detection.

Hydrogen sulfide (HS) holds a distinct role in cell biology. Its level is intricately linked to the homeostasis of the biological environment, underscoring the significance of developing techniques capable of detecting HS in biological systems. A single probe that offers versatility across different detection techniques opens opportunities for advancements in sensing HS in various fields. A nitronaphthalimide derivative, NMO prepared using a simple synthetic protocol, has been studied as an electrochemical, colorimetric, and turn-on fluorescence probe for HS. NMO displayed a detection limit of 9.95 mM and 4.36 mM in the UV-visible and colorimetric studies, respectively, whereas the fluorometric and square wave techniques confirmed lower detection limits of 98.4 μM and 1.24 mM, correspondingly. Further, the real-time imaging of HEK293T cells using NMO during stress-induced autophagy is demonstrated.