Construction of novel π-bridged fluorescent probes for Fe monitoring in living cells and foods.

Fe plays a crucial role in biological systems as an essential trace element in the body. Iron is absorbed by the body through food and Fe is also an important component of living cells; therefore, quantitative testing of Fe in food and in living cells is of great importance. This paper presents the development of a novel π-bridge EDOT-based N-oxide turn-on fluorescent probe, designated as FeE, for the detection of Fe. The probe has been shown to exhibit excellent sensitivity, a favorable linear relationship between fluorescence signal intensity and Fe concentration, and an effective immunity to interference. The probe has low cytotoxicity and has been successfully used to detect Fe in cells using laser confocal fluorescence microscopy. It is also possible to determine the presence of Fe in animal blood, spinach, apple juice, red wine, mineral water and metal cans.