Non-cytotoxic fluorescent wood for selective detection and efficient removal of tetracycline

The antibiotic contamination in water is a growing environmental concern, which prompts the need for an efficient and nontoxic adsorbent to eliminate antibiotics from water. Tetracycline (TC) is a widely used antibiotic owing to its low cost and high effectiveness, which adds to significant environmental impact. In this paper, we present a novel non-cytotoxic fluorescent wood (NCFW) with remarkable properties, including a high TC adsorption capacity (up to 99.17 mg/g), good selectivity and sensitivity for TC detection, favorable fluorescence (absolute quantum yield of 3.9%), and noncytotoxicity (cell viability of more than 90%). Our results revealed the unique structure of the NCFW as a framework for improving the adsorption capacity, whereas the fluorescent probes can act as effective sensors for detecting TC. These findings indicate that the NCFW has the potential to be a promising adsorbent for removing TC from wastewater.