In this study, a liquid crystal (LC)-based assay for the real-time detection of tetracycline (Tc) was developed. The sensor was constructed by implementing an LC-based platform that utilized the chelating properties of Tc to target Tc metal ions. This design enabled Tc-dependent induction of changes in the optical image of the LC; these modifications could then be observed in real-time with the naked eye. The performance of the sensor in detecting Tc was investigated with various metal ions to identify the most effective metal ion for Tc detection. In addition, the selectivity of the sensor was evaluated using different antibiotics. A correlation between Tc concentration and the optical intensity of the LC optical images was established, which enabled the quantification of Tc concentrations. The proposed method can detect Tc concentrations with a detection limit as low as 2.67 pM. Tests were conducted on milk, honey, and serum samples, which demonstrated that the proposed assay is highly accurate and reliable. The high sensitivity and selectivity of the proposed method make it a promising tool for real-time Tc detection, with potential applications in fields ranging from biomedical research to agriculture.

在这项研究中，开发了一种基于液晶 (LC) 的四环素 (Tc) 实时检测方法。该传感器是通过实施基于 LC 的平台构建的，该平台利用 Tc 的螯合特性来靶向 Tc 金属离子。这种设计使 LC 的光学图像中的变化能够依赖于 Tc；然后可以用肉眼实时观察到这些修改。使用各种金属离子研究了传感器检测 Tc 的性能，以确定检测 Tc 最有效的金属离子。此外，使用不同的抗生素评估传感器的选择性。建立了 Tc 浓度与 LC 光学图像的光强度之间的相关性，从而实现了 Tc 浓度的量化。所提出的方法可以检测 Tc 浓度，检测限低至 2.67 pM。对牛奶、蜂蜜和血清样本进行了测试，证明所提出的检测方法非常准确和可靠。所提出方法的高灵敏度和选择性使其成为实时 Tc 检测的有前途的工具，在从生物医学研究到农业等领域具有潜在的应用。