A competitive dual-mode for tetracycline antibiotics sensing based on colorimetry and surface-enhanced Raman...

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Tetracycline antibiotics (TCs) are widely used but their overuse leads to accumulation in food and the environment.
• This accumulation poses a significant threat to human health due to antimicrobial resistance.
• Existing detection methods may lack the sensitivity or speed required for effective monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel dual-mode detection method for sensitive and rapid evaluation of TCs.
• To integrate colorimetric sensing with surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technology.
• To create a nanoprobe with enhanced catalytic and SERS properties for TCs detection.

Main Methods:

• Design and synthesis of an Ag@NH2-MIL-101(Al)-Ag nanoprobe.
• Utilizing the nanoprobe's peroxidase-like activity for a competitive colorimetric assay with TMB.
• Employing the nanoprobe's enhanced SERS performance for sensitive TCs detection.
• Validating the method using honey samples.

Main Results:

• The dual-mode method achieved high sensitivity and selectivity for TCs.
• Limits of detection (LODs) were 10⁻³ ppm (colorimetric) and 10⁻⁵ ppm (SERS).
• Reliable detection in honey samples with recoveries from 87.69% to 120.49% was demonstrated.

Conclusions:

• The developed colorimetric-SERS dual-mode sensing strategy offers a valuable tool for TCs detection.
• This approach combines the ease of colorimetric analysis with the high sensitivity of SERS.
• It provides a rapid, direct, and multiplexed evaluation for various hazards in environmental and food chains.