A reaction based turn-on type fluorogenic and chromogenic probe for the detection of trace amount of nitrite in water

► A rhodamine-based fluorescent probe is developed for the detection of nitrite ions. ► The probe is highly selective to nitrite ions in presence of many other anions. ► The fluorogenic detection level of nitrite is found to be as low as 4.6 ppb. ► The probe was successfully used for detection of NO2− level in several real samples.