Detecting Tetracyclines in Food: A New Way with Zn-MOFs

Do you know what's lurking in your food? Tetracyclines, a type of antibiotic used in livestock, can leave traces in the food we eat. Traditional detection methods are complicated and time-consuming. That's where Zn-BTC-BDC-NH2, or ZTD, comes in. This special material, made from zinc and organic ligands, can detect tetracyclines in a flash. ZTD glows blue naturally, but add some tetracyclines, and that glow fades. Why? because the tetracycline molecules grab electrons from ZTD. At the same time, a new green glow appears. This is due to special connections forming between ZTD and the tetracycline molecules. In real food tests, ZTD was spot-on, finding almost all the tetracyclines present. It could even pick up tiny amounts, as low as 0. 011 μmol·L-1. Plus, it's so easy to use, there's even a fluorescence test paper version! This new way of detecting tetracyclines isn't just handy; it also opens doors for creating other multiligand metal-organic frameworks and designing future sensing methods. Pretty cool, huh?