Development of high surface area and easily regenerated zirconium metal–organic frameworks (UiO-66) through a simple one-pot synthesis approach for the simultaneous detection and removal of tetracycline

Abstract

The development of effective methods for identifying and eliminating antibiotics from wastewater is urgently needed, and it continues to pose significant challenges. In this study, a zirconium-based metal–organic framework (UiO-66) was synthesized using a straightforward one-pot method for the dual purpose of detecting and adsorbing tetracycline (TC). Characterization by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis demonstrated that UiO-66 exhibited abundant surface functional groups and an exceptionally high specific surface area, resulting in a high TC removal efficiency of 85.14 % (initial concentration: 20 mg/L) over a wide pH range. The adsorption data were accurately described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Freundlich isotherm models. Notably, the UiO-66 material adsorbed with TC could be well regenerated at least two cycles, showing no significant loss in adsorption efficiency. Furthermore, the adsorbent demonstrated blue emission when excited at 310 nm. As the concentration of TC increased, a corresponding decrease in the fluorescence intensity of UiO-66 was observed. This change exhibited a linear correlation within the concentration range of 0.01 to 30 mg/L, achieving a detection limit as low as 0.003 mg/L. The UiO-66 probe exhibited exceptional specificity for TC and strong anti-interference capability, achieving satisfactory recoveries in the analysis of TC from real samples. These findings are poised to assist researchers in creating comprehensive strategies for the concurrent detection and elimination of antibiotics in the environment.

Topics & Concepts