Citation: Shuyun Li, Taoyang Wang, Yajing Zhang, Wenqi Wei, Qiuping Xie, Yiran Pu, Gonghua Hong, Xiaoling Wang, Yunxiang He, Junling Guo. Tuning fluorescence of polyphenol-based carbon dots for tetracycline and quinolone selective detection[J]. Chinese Chemical Letters, ;2026, 37(5): 111356. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2025.111356 shu

Tuning fluorescence of polyphenol-based carbon dots for tetracycline and quinolone selective detection

Shuyun Li ^{a, 1} ,
Taoyang Wang ^{a, b, 1} ,
Yajing Zhang ^a ,
Wenqi Wei ^a ,
Qiuping Xie ^a ,
Yiran Pu ^a ,
Gonghua Hong ^a ,
Xiaoling Wang ^a ,
Yunxiang He ^{a, *,} ,
Junling Guo ^{a, c, *,}

a.
BMI Center for Biomass Materials and Nanointerfaces, National Engineering Laboratory for Clean Technology of Leather Manufacture, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Leather Chemistry and Engineering, College of Biomass Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
b.
Department of Biomedical Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
c.
State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China

yxhe@scu.edu.cn

junling.guo@scu.edu.cn

junling.guo@ubc.ca

Received Date: 24 February 2025
Revised Date: 19 May 2025
Accepted Date: 20 May 2025
Available Online: 21 May 2025

Figures(4)

The escalating threat of antimicrobial resistance necessitates advanced tools for rapid and selective antibiotic detection in environmental systems. Herein, we report polyphenol-derived carbon dots (P-CDs) synthesized via a one-step solvothermal method using polyphenols and citric acid, enabling dual-mode detection of tetracyclines and quinolones through pH-tunable fluorescence. The P-CDs exhibit distinct fluorescence quenching for tetracyclines (e.g., oxytetracycline (OTC)) and enhancement for quinolones (e.g., norfloxacin (NOR)), driven by synergistic multiple molecular interactions facilitated by surface phenolic groups. With detection limits of 8.19 µmol/L (OTC) and 5.27 µmol/L (NOR), P-CDs achieve 6-fold higher sensitivity compared to conventional carbon dots. Their pH adaptability (pH 2–12), specificity (> 90% selectivity against seven antibiotic classes), and robust performance in real water matrices (e.g., river water and wastewater) underscore their potential as eco-friendly sensors for on-site environmental monitoring. This work highlights a versatile platform to address antibiotic contamination and advance public health safety.
- Polyphenol-derived carbon dots,
- pH-tunable fluorescence,
- Selective antibiotic detection,
- Dual-mode detection,
- Surface functional groups
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