A highly efficient molecularly imprinted fluorescence sensor for selective and sensitive detection of tetracycline antibiotic residues in pork

Tetracyclines (TCs) residues in animal-based foods may cause consumer poisoning or allergic reactions, as well as resistance of pathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, a method to accurately monitor TCs is urgently needed. Here, a sensitive and greenificated molecularly imprinted fluorescent sensor (CDs@MIP) for detecting TCs residues using non-covalent imprinting binding method has been synthesized in a simple and safe manner. The sensor was demonstrated to contain specific adsorption sites and high adsorption capacity by static adsorption test results and Freundlich and Langmuir model analyses, and the maximum adsorption capacity was 45.8 mg/g. Moreover, the sensor exhibited intense blue-green fluorescence under UV light, and the fluorescence was gradually quenched as TCs was adsorbed to achieve the detection. The fluorescent spectrum experiment demonstrated that the prepared sensor has good recognition and detection performance for TCs with a linear range of 0.02-50 mg/L and a detection limit of 0.18 μg/L. Furthermore, This sensor is recyclable and can be used to determine TCs content in pork with a recovery rate of 98% -108%. Therefore, the constructed sensor provides a new convenient strategy for detecting TCs residues.