A fast-response turn-on quinoline-based fluorescent probe for selective and sensitive detection of zinc (II) and its application

•A quinoline-based fluorescent probe for detecting Zn2+ was developed by a simple condensation reaction.•The probe could quickly (less than 3 s) detect Zn2+ with a low detection limit and large linear detection range.•The probe was successfully applied to determine Zn2+ in real water samples and on test strips.