Highly Selective Electrochemiluminescence Chemosensor for Sulfide Enabled by Hierarchical Reactivity.

Hydrogen sulfide (HS) is a well-known toxic gas with the odor of rotten eggs. Several reaction-based electrochemiluminescence (ECL) chemosensors for HS have been developed; however, no homogeneous ECL probe with high selectivity toward HS in aqueous media has been reported. Herein, we report an iridium(III) complex-based ECL chemodosimetric probe employing two 7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl (NBD) groups known as a photo-induced electron transfer quencher and a reaction site for the selective detection of HS; the detection mechanism involves HS being clearly distinguished from biothiols based on the different cleavage rates of the two NBD groups and extremely weak ECL interferences caused by reaction by-products. The probe was rationally designed to improve selectivity toward HS within the ECL analysis platform by enabling the removal of nonspecific background signals observed fluorescence analysis. This analytical system exhibited remarkable selectivity toward HS, a rapid reaction rate, and high sensitivity (LOD = 57 nM) compared to conventional fluorescence methods. Furthermore, the probe could successfully quantify HS in tap water samples and commercial ammonium sulfide solutions, which demonstrates the effectiveness of this probe in field monitoring.