A new reversible fluorescent chemosensor based on rhodamine for rapid detection of Al(III) in natural environmental water samples and living organisms

[Display omitted] •An Al3+-specific probe based on rhodamine B was designed and synthesized.•This probe has a very short response time to Al3+.•The probe displays the reversible fluorescence change by adding EDTA.•The probe is feasible for monitoring trace Al3+ in environmental water samples.•The probe can be used for detection of Al3+ in cells, animals and plant tissues. A fluorescence sensor RBKB with high selectivity and sensitivity to Al3+ was designed and synthesized. UV–Vis and fluorescence spectra showed that the probe had a good response to Al3+ in EtOH/H2O (1:1, v/v) solution and the response time is very short. The process of detecting Al3+ is accompanied by the probe solution changing from colorless to pink, which has a good visual effect. The reversible type of the probe and Al3+ was confirmed by adding EDTA. Meanwhile, the probe has a low detection limit of 0.177 μM. In addition, the probe can be used for the detection of Al3+ in actual environmental water samples with a high recovery rate. It is worth mentioning that RBKB can be used to detect Al3+ in living cells, zebrafish, and plant tissues, which has high biological significance.