An Efficient Ln-MOF Fluorescent Sensor Based on Smartphones for Ultra-Sensitive and Selective Detection of Hydrochlorothiazide
摘要
Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), a clinically used antihypertensive diuretic, is frequently adulterated in functional foods to falsely enhance efficacy, posing substantial public health risks. Current analytical methods for HCTZ detection suffer from complex sample preparation, long analysis times, and high instrument costs, limiting on-site monitoring. Herein, we report a highly sensitive and selective fluorescence sensor (Eu-MOF@MIP) based on a core-shell structured europium metal-organic framework (MOF) combined with molecular imprinting technology (MIT) for ultrasensitive HCTZ detection and integrated with a portable platform that supports smartphones. The Eu-MOF core, synthesized using 3,5-dicarboxyphenylboronic acid (BBDC) as the ligand, provides intense and long-lived fluorescence, while the SiO2-functionalized molecular imprinting shell—fabricated via sol–gel surface imprinting—confers specific molecular recognition of HCTZ. The long excitation state lifetime of Eu3+ can effectively reduce the background interference of short-time non-specific emission and improve the sensitivity and selectivity. The sensor exhibits a linear response to HCTZ in the range of 1–50 µM with a limit of detection (LOD) as low as 0.025 µM. In real sample analyses, recovery rates range from 95.1% to 98.8% with relative standard deviations (RSD) < 2.7%, confirming its reliability in complex samples. Furthermore, integration with a smartphone-based detection system enables on-site quantitative detection, facilitating rapid, low-cost monitoring without specialized equipment. This work addresses the critical need for portable, high-performance detection of pharmaceutical contaminants in food and biological samples, offering a versatile platform for safeguarding public health in food safety surveillance.