NBD-based colorimetric and ratiometric fluorescent probe in NIR for bisulfite

This work presented a FRET-ICT based fluorescent probe (named NTC) composed of coumarin-benzothiazole as the acceptor and 4-nitrobenzo[c][1,2,5] oxadiazole (NBD) as the donor for the detection of SO2 derivatives in NIR. Probe NTC possessed superior performance including selectivity, quickly response toward SO32−/HSO3− and high energy transfer efficiency (94 %). The test strips provided a simple and effective tool in detecting the presence of bisulfite. Besides, NTC was applied to test the sulfur dioxide derivatives in food samples and cells. [Display omitted] •A NIR ratiometric fluorescent probe NTC was developed to detect sulfur dioxide derivatives.•NTC had a large Stokes shift of 150 nm and 94 % energy transfer efficiency.•NTC possessed good selectivity and sensitivity toward sulfur dioxide derivatives.•NTC was applied to detect sulfur dioxide derivatives in test strips, food samples and cell imaging.