A minimalist ratiometric fluorescent sensor based on non-covalent ternary platform for sensing H2S in aqueous solution and serum

Great efforts have been made to detect hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) due to its involvements in various physiological processes and disease diagnosis. In the present work, a novel dansyl-based derivative ( DBr ) was synthesized and used as a FRET donor, and pyronine Y ( PyY ) was used as a FRET acceptor for constructing a ratiometric fluorescent sensor with assisstance of surfactant. The non-covalent ternary sensor platform could interact with H 2 S, causing an orange to blue-green fluorescence change as the acceptor emission decreased and the donor emission increased. The remarkable ratiometric response empowers the present system a high sensitivity to H 2 S with a detection limit of 110 nM. Moreover, the detection of H 2 S in serum could also be realized, providing the possibility for practical applications.