Rapid one-pot synthesis of multifunctional UiO-66(Zr/Ce)-NH2 for detection and photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline

Abstract

Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) have been widely used for the antibiotic pollution control. However, it remains a challenge to simple design and synthesis of multifunctional MOFs for sensing and degradation antibiotics. Herein, a multifunctional UiO-66(Zr/Ce)-NH2 ratiometric fluorescence sensing and photocatalytic degradation platform was rapidly and simply constructed at room temperature by a one-pot method using a dielectric barrier discharge device. The mixed-metal centers and mixed-ligands of this platform enabled effective ratiometric fluorescence sensing of tetracycline (TC), along with a visual fluorescence shift from blue to yellow-green color. The platform demonstrated a detection of TC ranged from 200 nM to 15 μM, with a detection limit of 43 nM. Moreover, the UiO-66(Zr/Ce)-NH2 exhibited strong light absorption and efficient photogenerated carrier separation, thus offering excellent degradation performance of TC compared with that of MOFs with single metal center, mixed ligands or mixed metal centers. The mechanism of fluorescence detection and potential charge transfer pathways by the UiO-66(Zr/Ce)-NH2 were analyzed. This work provided a new approach for the simple design and synthesis of multifunctional MOFs platforms.