Detective work: Three highly sensitive and selective fluorescent probes for the detection of H2S have been developed. Two of the probes detect H2S by the reduction of an azide moiety to an amine group, which changes the probes into their fluorescent forms and generates a fluorescent signal. In the third method, the fluorescent signal is created by using H2S as a nucleophile in a reaction that unmasks fluorescein.

A novel highly sensitive and selective 'off-on' fluorescent probe for thiophenols has been developed by a PET mechanism through a rational design.

A new internal charge transfer (ICT) fluorescent probe for highly selective and sensitive monitoring of H(2)S has been developed. The design takes advantage of the facile reduction of non-fluorescent hydroxyamine naphthalimide by H(2)S to highly fluorescent amine naphthalimide. It has been demonstrated that the probe is able to detect H(2)S at submicromolar concentrations in cells.

A FRET ratiometric fluorescent probe enabling a fast and highly sensitive response to OP nerve agent mimic DCP within 1 min and with as low as 0.17 ppm concentration detection limit has been developed. Moreover, the probe exhibits noticeable color changes under UV light and even with the naked eye. It is also demonstrated that it can detect both liquid and gas nerve agents.