Chromene-Derived Peroxynitrite Fluorescent Probes: From Environmental Water Monitoring to Oxidative Stress Assessment in Living Cells.

A novel fluorescent probe detects peroxynitrite with sub-4-minute response time and 17.8 nM sensitivity, enabling rapid monitoring in biological and environmental samples.

• Why it matters: Peroxynitrite’s short lifespan and high reactivity hinder its in situ detection, limiting understanding of its role in physiological and pathological processes.
• What they did: Researchers designed LK, an ICT-based probe with a D-π-A structure, validated through DFT and NMR, and integrated it with a smartphone RGB readout for portable, semi-quantitative detection.
• The result: LK demonstrated high selectivity, low cytotoxicity, and effective cellular imaging of endogenous and inflammation-induced ONOO-, advancing real-time oxidative stress assessment.