A fluorescence ionic probe utilizing Cu²⁺ assisted competition for detecting glyphosate abused in green tea

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Food Science
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Food fraud, particularly illegal glyphosate use in tea, poses health risks and erodes consumer trust.
• Current detection methods may lack the speed and sensitivity required for effective food safety surveillance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a rapid, sensitive, and selective fluorescent probe for detecting glyphosate in food products.
• To address the challenge of food fraud related to unauthorized pesticide residues in tea.

Main Methods:

• Construction of an ionic fluorescent probe, PHQCA-Cu2+, using Cu2+ and ionic liquid coordination.
• Utilizing a competitive coordination strategy and a "turn-on" fluorescence response for glyphosate detection.
• Application of the probe on paper strips for on-site detection and validation in green tea samples.

Main Results:

• The PHQCA-Cu2+ probe demonstrated a rapid (within 5 seconds) "turn-on" fluorescence response upon interaction with glyphosate.
• The probe exhibited high sensitivity and selectivity, effectively distinguishing glyphosate from other substances.
• Successful application on paper strips and excellent recovery rates in real green tea samples confirmed its practical utility.

Conclusions:

• The developed PHQCA-Cu2+ probe offers a viable and efficient method for the rapid identification of glyphosate contamination in tea.
• This advancement significantly enhances food safety surveillance capabilities within the supply chain.
• The probe's performance provides a reliable tool to combat food fraud and protect consumer health.