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A ratiometric fluorescent sensor for tetracyclines detection in meat based on pH-dependence of targets with lanthanum-doped carbon dots as probes

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Abstract

Although some ratiometric fluorescent sensors have been reported to detect tetracyclines, most of ratiometric fluorescent sensors were established based on europium ion with a narrow linear range. In this work, a ratiometric fluorescent sensor for tetracyclines detection was established based on the dual-emission lanthanum-doped carbon dots (La-CDs) as probes combining with the characteristic pH-response of tetracyclines. The fluorescence intensity of tetracyclines will be enhanced in high pH, and the emission peak of tetracyclines overlapped with the peak of probes. The superposition effect of tetracyclines and probes at 515 nm greatly improved the sensitivity of the ratiometric fluorescent sensor and widened the detection range, and linear ranges for oxytetracycline (OTC) and tetracycline (TC) were respectively 0.00–805.20 μM and 0.00–1039.50 μM. Moreover, the preparation procedure of the La-CDs was simple and time saving and the coupling agent was not required. A comparison of La-CDs with undoped carbon dots (un-CDs) showed that the optical performance and sensing performance of La-CDs were improved. In addition, a portable paper sensor with La-CDs as probes was preliminarily explored in this work, and the sensor has been applied to detect OTC and TC in pork and fish with satisfactory results.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province (Nos. B2019201397, B2015201193), the Project funded by China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2020M670678), the Foundation for Central Government Guidance for Local Science and Technology Development of Hebei Province (No. 216Z2605G), the Science and Technology Research Project of Hebei Higher Education (No. QN2016087), the Advanced Talents Incubation Program of Hebei University (No. 521000981136), Research Innovation Team of College of Chemistry and Environmental Science of Hebei University (No. hxkytd-py2101).

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  1. College of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Hebei University, Key Laboratory of Analytical Science and Technology of Hebei Province, Wusi Road, Baoding, 071002, People’s Republic of China

    Ya Jie Fan, Ming Su, Yu-E. Shi, Xiao Tong Liu, Shi Gang Shen & Jiang Xue Dong

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  1. Ya Jie Fan
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  2. Ming Su
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  3. Yu-E. Shi
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Correspondence to Shi Gang Shen or Jiang Xue Dong.

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Fan, Y.J., Su, M., Shi, YE. et al. A ratiometric fluorescent sensor for tetracyclines detection in meat based on pH-dependence of targets with lanthanum-doped carbon dots as probes. Anal Bioanal Chem 414, 2597–2606 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-022-03895-x

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