Enhanced adsorption and colorimetric detection of tetracycline antibiotics by using functional phosphate/carbonate composite with nanoporous network coverage

This work presents efficient tetracycline (TC) antibiotics adsorption using a functional porous phosphate/carbonate composite (PCC). The PCC was fabricated by anion-exchange of phosphate on the surface of vaterite-phase calcium carbonate particle scaffolds. The PCC, having dense nanoporous network coverage with large surface area and pore volume, exhibited excellent TC adsorption in solution. Its adsorption isotherm fitted well to the Freundlich model, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 118.72 mg/g. The adsorption process was spontaneous, endothermic, and followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. From the XPS analysis, the hydrogen bonding and surface complexation were the key interactions in the process. In addition, a colorimetric TC detection method was developed considering its complexation with phosphate ions, originating from PCC dissolution, during adsorption. The method was used to detect TC in mg/L concentrations in water samples. Thus, the multifunctional PCC exhibited potential for use in TC removal and environmental remediation.