A novel fluorescent probe used for the detection of Cu2+ in water system with AIE properties

•WH could continuously recognize of Cu2+ and EDTA in HEPES system.•The detection limits of WH for Cu2+ and EDTA were as low as 29.66 and 172.13 nmol·L−1, respectively.•WH had excellent AIE performance.•WH could be used for the detection of Cu2+ in alcoholic beverages. A novel fluorescent probe, WH, was successfully designed and synthesized. WH demonstrated continuous detection capabilities for Cu2+ and EDTA in the HEPES system. Specifically, the introduction of copper ions resulted in fluorescence quenching, while the addition of EDTA led to the recovery of fluorescence. The detection limits of WH for Cu2+ and EDTA were calculated to be 29.66 and 172.13 nmol·L−1, respectively. Moreover, WH exhibited AIE property in THF/H2O system. According to the Job's plot, 1H NMR titration and mass spectrometry, WH could form a complex with Cu2+ in a 1:1 ratio, and the combinding constant was 8.2 × 103 L mol−1. WH exhibited outstanding selectivity, high sensitivity, large Stokes shift and strong anti-interference ability. Furthermore, WH had been successfully applied in the detection of Cu2+ in beer and red wine, showcasing its promising potential for practical application. [Display omitted]