A new ratiometric fluorescence probe based on cinnamic acid for hydrazine detection and its applications in environmental and biological systems

As a key chemical raw material, hydrazine hydrate (N 2 H 4 ) is widely used in chemical manufacturing, aerospace propulsion and pharmaceuticals synthesis. However, excessive N 2 H 4 causes serious harms to the environment and organisms. Herein, a ratiometric fluorescence probe CDP has been designed and synthesized from p -hydroxycinnamic acid. Upon interaction with N 2 H 4 , the major fluorescence emission peak at 570 nm is blue-shifted to 455 nm, accompanied by a fluorescence color change from pale orange to blue. The detection limit of CDP for N 2 H 4 is determined as 17.08 nM. Experimental data further indicate that probe CDP can effectively detect N 2 H 4 across a broad pH range (5–12). More notably, probe CDP demonstrates significant potential for imaging N 2 H 4 in living cells and mice models. Moreover, probe CDP can be employed for the detection of N 2 H 4 in soil samples and water samples. This work describes a versatile fluorescence probe for detecting N 2 H 4 , underscoring its considerable potential in environmental analysis and public health monitoring.