Janus applications: A mutifunctional nano-platform with integrated visual detection and photodegradation of tetracyclines

Abstract Although there have been many studies on the detection or degradation of tetracyclines (TCs), there are few reports about the ability to combine the detection and degradation functions of TCs integrated on one nano-platform. Herein we developed a facile strategy to synthesize citric acid and Eu 3+ grafted amionclay@Au nanocomposite (AC@Au-Cit-Eu) that exhibited remarkable effect on visual detection, while the original AC@Au nano-platform displayed unprecedented visible-light-driven photodegradation efficiency of TCs. The results show that the AC@Au-Cit-Eu nanosensor can achieve rapid visual inspection of antibiotic TC in aqueous solution and real milk samples. The detection limit of the nanosensor for TCs was 11.2 nM. More importantly, the test strip made with AC@Au-Cit-Eu can also realize the real-time detection of TC through the color scanning APP in the smartphone. Meanwhile, the results also proved that the AC@Au nano-platform had good photocatalytic performance with a 93.33% degradation rate in 40 min for TCs and the reaction rate constant was significantly higher than many other photocatalysts. This strategy greatly reduced the lengthy process from discovery to disposal of antibiotic residues and greatly utilizes nanocomposites.