A highly selective and sensitive colorimetric and near-infrared fluorescent turn-on probe for rapid detection of palladium in drugs and living cells

Palladium contamination has attracted widespread attention due to the toxicity and the wide use of palladium species. Consequently, development of convenient and effective methods for palladium detection is of great importance. Herein, a new colorimetric and near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent turn-on probe based on the Tsuji-Trost reaction for palladium was developed. This probe can be used to detect palladium in aqueous solution (for example, in pH 7.4 PBS buffer with 0-20% DMSO) under mild conditions with high selectivity and sensitivity, giving rapid (within 2 min) and distinct dual colorimetric and NIR fluorescent turn-on signal changes with a detection limit as low as 2.2 nM. A paper test strip system was prepared with this probe for a convenient visual detection of palladium. In addition, MTT assays showed that this probe has low cytotoxicity and detection of palladium in real drug samples and living cells was successfully applied with this probe, indicating this probe has a good application prospect. (c) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.