Fluorescent Sensing of Tetracycline Antibiotics

Fluorescent sensing of tetracycline antibiotics has emerged as a rapid, sensitive technique to detect trace residues in environmental and biological samples. Tetracyclines exhibit intrinsic fluorescence that can be modulated by coordination with metal ions, energy‐transfer processes or interactions with nanostructures. Recent advances harness nanomaterials – such as metal–organic frameworks, graphene quantum dots and lanthanide complexes – to amplify signal intensity, improve selectivity against structurally similar analogues and enable visual or ratiometric readouts. Methods based on metal‐enhanced fluorescence, aggregation‐induced emission or dual‐channel probes facilitate quantification at nanomolar levels. These platforms offer low cost, minimal sample preparation and point-of-care potential using portable devices. By integrating smartphone-based imaging or paper-based sensors, fluorescent assays support rapid on-site monitoring of tetracycline residues in food, water and clinical matrices, addressing global concerns over antibiotic pollution and resistance.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Researchers have refined immunoassay and chromatographic integration to achieve high-throughput screening of tetracyclines in complex matrices. A newly optimised platform combines a qualitative receptor-binding immunoassay with an improved liquid chromatographic–diode array detection method. The approach employs a C18 column with a buffered mobile phase and protein-precipitation extraction to isolate tetracycline and oxytetracycline from milk. The immunoassay component uses a regenerable bioreceptor to signal tetracycline binding, enabling rapid qualitative assessment, while the HPLC-DAD step delivers quantitative confirmation with enhanced resolution and sensitivity. This dual strategy demonstrates recoveries of over 85% and residual concentrations below regulatory limits, illustrating a model for integrated fluorescent screening coupled with chromatographic validation.

Fluorescent Sensing of Tetracycline Antibiotics publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in fluorescent sensing of tetracycline antibiotics across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Metal–organic framework (MOF): Porous coordination polymer comprising metal ions bridged by organic ligands, used as a fluorescent scaffold.

Ratiometric fluorescence: Technique using the ratio of two emission signals to provide self-calibrated detection.

Lanthanide complex: Fluorescent probe based on lanthanide ions (e.g. Eu3+, Tb3+) with sharp emission bands and long lifetimes.

Aggregation-induced emission (AIE): Phenomenon where non-luminescent molecules emit strongly upon aggregation.

Inner filter effect: Attenuation of excitation or emission light within a sample due to absorption by matrix components.

References

1. Luminescent sensors for residual antibiotics detection in food: Recent advances and perspectives. Coordination Chemistry Reviews (2024).
2. Qualitative immunoassay for the determination of tetracycline antibiotic residues in milk samples followed by a quantitative improved HPLC-DAD method. Scientific Reports (2022).
3. A Ratiometric Fluorescent Nano-Probe for Rapid and Specific Detection of Tetracycline Residues Based on a Dye-Doped Functionalized Nanoscaled Metal–Organic Framework. Nanomaterials (2019).
4. Zinc Ion-Based Switch-on Fluorescence-Sensing Probes for the Detection of Tetracycline. Molecules (2022).
5. Rapid and sensitive detection of tetracycline residue in food samples using Cr(III)-MOF fluorescent sensor. Food Chemistry X (2023).