Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has long been known as a toxic gas. Increased attention to H2S as a key player in human biology has lead to the need for a reliable, biocompatible sensor. The goal of this project is to develop a fluorescence-based, water-soluble H2S sensor that is selective against other thiols in solution. Our approach is to form a cationic LZnOR complex, where L is a water-soluble ligand and R is a fluorophore. Upon reaction with H2S in solution, we hypothesize that the fluorophore will be displaced by a hydrosulfide group at the zinc site, resulting in an LZn-SH complex and quenching of the fluorescent absorbance of the fluorophore. These fluorescent changes could then be used to detect and quantify H2S in an aqueous solution. The result is the precursor to a selective, water-soluble hydrogen sulfide sensor with potential applications for quantifying H2S levels in blood samples.

Water-soluble flourescent zinc complexes: Potential sensors for hydrogen sulfide in aqueous solution

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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