Carbon dots-functionalized metal−organic framework for the dual detection of tetracycline and norfloxacin

Tetracycline and norfloxacin are two important antibiotics known for their effective treatment of inflammation. However, their excessive use inevitably leads to serious environmental hazards. Rapid and highly sensitive detection of their trace amounts is crucial for early prevention of related diseases. While there are numerous reported fluorescent probes capable of highly sensitive detection of tetracycline and norfloxacin individually, very few can simultaneously detect both. Developing a probe capable of detecting both antibiotics simultaneously is particularly necessary to enhance detection efficiency. In this study, carbon quantum dots derived from fragrans were functionalized with Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) materials. This successful approach enabled simultaneous detection of both tetracycline and norfloxacin, with detection limits of 0.15 μM and 0.87 μM, respectively. Furthermore, successful detections were achieved in water, milk and soil samples, yielding excellent results.