Analysis of tetracyclines in irrigation water by capillary electrophoresis using MgO nanoflowers

Tetracyclines in aqueous media, such as irrigation water, represent a critical global concern due to their ecotoxicological effects on ecosystems and potential risks to human health. Therefore, the implementation of regular monitoring strategies in water bodies that serve as supply sources for irrigation is essential. In this study, an efficient method for the determination of tetracycline, oxytetracycline, and chlortetracycline in river-derived irrigation water was successfully developed using capillary zone electrophoresis, with MgO nanoflowers employed as a preconcentration material. The MgO nanoflowers were synthesized via a solvothermal method and characterized by SEM, EDS, and XRD, revealing a nanoplate-growth morphology. The preconcentration process was optimized using a Taguchi L₉(3⁴) design of experiments, achieving enrichment factors of 9.35, 9.33, and 9.58 for TC, OTC, and CTC, respectively. The proposed methodology was validated, demonstrating high precision (%RSD < 9.43%), limits of detection ranging from 0.06 to 0.10 mg L^-1, and satisfactory accuracy with recoveries between 95.76% and 104.79%. These results highlight the potential applicability of the developed method for the monitoring and control of tetracycline antibiotics in irrigation water.