A simple yet effective fluorescent probe for detecting and imaging mercury ions in cells

We have synthesized rhodol hydrazide (RDH) as a simple fluorescent probe for detecting Hg2+. The probe can be applied in nontoxic solvents (EtOH and H2O). The probe has high selectivity and sensitivity to Hg2+ at pH 6–8. In addition, the probe has a superior capacity to resist interference from other ions. Both fluorescence intensity and absorbance have a linear relationship with the concentration of Hg2+, which ensured the precise detection of Hg2+. Furthermore, we have studied the intracellular Hg2+ imaging behavior of the probe on mammalian cells, which indicated that the probe can be applied to monitor Hg2+ within biological samples, especially in mammalian cells.