Selective and Sensitive Fluorescence Probe for Detection of Al3+ in Food Samples Based on Aggregation-Induced Emission and Its Application for Live Cell Imaging

A novel fluorescent probe L was designed for rapid detection of Al3+ with high selectivity in water-acetonitrile medium based on aggregation-induced emission (AIE). The recognition mechanism was investigated by fluorescence spectra, SEM, FI-IR, 1H NMR, and mass spectra. The detection limit of Al3+ was 5.3 × 10−8 M. The recoveries were within the range of 84.5–103.3% and the relative standard deviation (RSD) values were within the range of 1.7–6.4%. The AIE behavior could be attributed to the J-aggregates formation and the chelation-enhanced fluorescence (CHEF) in water-acetonitrile medium. The probe L can be used to detect Al3+ in food and environmental samples. What’s more interesting is that the L could detect intracellular Al3+ in live cells by bioimaging.