Selective and sensitive detection of glutathione with a novel fluorescein-based probe in fully aqueous media and its application in food samples

We devised a novel fluorescent probe, FL-T, bearing fluorescein and thienyl acrylic acid moiety, which was designed and synthesised to detect glutathione (GSH). Utilising micelle-catalysed cyclisation/elimination reaction, FL-T demonstrated exceptional sensitivity and operability in a fully aqueous solution, with a low limit of detection (LOD = 41.2 nM), and superior selectivity over cysteine (Cys), homocysteine (Hcy), H2S and other analytes. Furthermore, FL-T successfully detected GSH in fruit and vegetable samples. These findings suggest that FL-T is a promising tool for detecting GSH in various environments.