Smartphone-Assisted Real-Time Monitoring of Erythromycin in Real Samples and Pressure-Sensitive Behavior Enabled by a...

Erythromycin (ERY) residues have emerged as a critical global concern to food safety and environmental security in recent years. Detecting ERY in food and environment is important for safeguarding public health. In this study, a metal-organic framework [Me₂NH₂][Eu(TCBPEF)(HCOO)(DMF)]·2.5DMF Eu-TCBPEF, H₄TCBPEF = 4',4‴,4‴″,4‴″″-(ethene-1,1,2,2-tetrayl)tetrakis(3-fluoro-[1,1'-biphenyl]-4-carboxylic acid) was synthesized and utilized as a fluorescence "turn-on" sensor for real-time visual monitoring of ERY, which demonstrated the first TPE-based MOF for ERY detection. Eu-TCBPEF could selectively detect ERY in water with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.327 μM and exhibited excellent detection performance for ERY in seawater and chicken samples with good recovery percentage ranging from 96.9% to 105.4%. Furthermore, a portable Eu-TCBPEF@PVA was fabricated, enabling real-time and on-site monitoring of ERY in combination with a smartphone-assisted platform. In addition, Eu-TCBPEF exhibited a remarkable mechanofluorochromism: the fluorescent color can be reversibly switched between cyan and yellow upon grinding and exposure to acetonitrile. This study presents a dual-function MOF that provides new insights into the function of TPE-based MOFs and meanwhile offers an effective solution for on-site monitoring of antibiotic residues in food and environment, with promising applications in advanced anticounterfeiting security materials.