Mixed matrix membranes incorporated with Ln-MOF for selective and sensitive detection of nitrofuran antibiotics based on inner filter effect

The detection of antibiotics is critical and challenging due to the pervasive use of antibiotics had inevitably brought some negative impacts on ecosystem and human health. Herein, we reported an anti-interfere ability enhanced luminescent sensor of lanthanide metal-organic framework (Ln-MOF) filled mixed matrix membranes (MMMs), which combining the processibility of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) polymer with Ln-MOF of {[Tb2(AIP)2(H2O)10]·(AIP)·4H2O}n (Tb-AIP, where AIP is 5-aminoisophthalate) fillers. The as-fabricated Tb-AIP MMMs are stable in water with a wide pH range and exhibit characteristic blue emission of Tb3+. Significantly, the Tb-AIP MMMs show highly selective and sensitive to nitrofuran antibiotics (NFAs) via inner filter effect (IFE), and yet remain unaffected not only by other common antibiotics but also by other types of analytes (metal ions and anions) that may coexist. The limits of detection for nitrofurantoin (NFT) and nitrofurazone (NFZ) are 0.30 and 0.35μM, respectively. As a proof of concept, the proposed MMMs sensor are demonstrated to be feasible for application in detecting NFAs in original water of Pearl River and bovine serum samples, the corresponding quenching constants and limits of detection are similar to their standard detections in an acceptable range. Furthermore, this MMMs sensor for NFAs detection was reversible after washing with deionized water. The luminescent Ln-MOF filled MMMs presented here provides a functional platform for simple yet useful in sensing of NFAs in environment and biology systems.