A large amount of tetracycline (TC) persists in water, soil, food, and feed due to the overuse of antibiotics, causing serious environmental problems such as damage to ecosystems and posing risks to human health. Thus, there is an urgent need to find a method to detect TC that is practical, rapid, sensitive, and offers ready visualization of TC levels so that adequate remediation measures can be immediately implemented. Herein, we report a fluorescent and colorimetric dual-mode nanosensor for the detection of TC based on reduced state carbon dots (r-CDs). In the presence of TC, the emission fluorescence of r-CDs was quenched by the Förster resonance energy transfer mechanism to achieve high-sensitivity detection of TC with a low limit of detection (LOD) of 1.73 nM. Moreover, TC was also detected by r-CDs via a noticeable color change of the solution (from colorless to red) with the naked eye, having an LOD of 0.46 μM. Furthermore, r-CDs have excellent selectivity and sensitivity in detecting TC in wastewater, and therefore, have practical applications in wastewater treatment. The fluorescent and colorimetric dual-mode proposed in this work may offer a unique idea for the detection of TC, with great prospects for environmental wastewater applications.

由于过度使用抗生素，大量四环素（TC）残留在水，土壤，食物和饲料中，从而导致严重的环境问题，例如对生态系统的破坏和对人类健康的威胁。因此，迫切需要找到一种实用，快速，灵敏的检测TC的方法，该方法可提供TC水平的可视化信息，以便可以立即实施适当的补救措施。在本文中，我们报告了一种基于还原态碳点（r-CDs）的荧光和比色双模纳米传感器，用于检测TC。在存在TC的情况下，r-CD的发射荧光通过Förster共振能量转移机制淬灭，从而以1.73 nM的低检测限（LOD）实现了TC的高灵敏度检测。而且，还通过r-CD通过肉眼观察到溶液的颜色发生明显变化（从无色到红色）检测到TC，其LOD为0.46μM。此外，r-CD在检测废水中的TC方面具有出色的选择性和灵敏度，因此在废水处理中具有实际应用。在这项工作中提出的荧光和比色双模可能为TC的检测提供一个独特的想法，在环境废水应用中具有广阔的前景。