Highly sensitive and rapid detection of thiabendazole residues in oranges based on a luminescent Tb3+-functionalized MOF

Thiabendazole (TBZ), has been extensively employed as a pesticide and/or a fungicide in agriculture, while its residues would threaten to public health and safety. Simple, rapid and sensitive probes for detection of TBZ in real food samples is significantly desirable. In present work, a highly selective and sensitive luminescent sensor for monitoring TBZ in oranges has been constructed based on a Tb3+-functionalized Zr-MOF (Tb3+@1). Tb3+@1 exhibited many attractive sensing properties toward TBZ, including broad linear range (0-80 mu M), high selectivity, low LOD (0.271 mu M) and rapid response time (less than1 min). Moreover, the probe was employed to determine TBZ in real orange samples, in which good recoveries from 98.41 to 104.48% were obtained. It only takes 35 min for the whole process of detection TBZ in real orange samples combined with QuEChERS method. Therefore, this work provided a reliable and rapid method for monitoring the TBZ in real orange samples.

Automated summary

A highly selective and sensitive luminescent sensor for monitoring TBZ in oranges has been developed, showing broad linear range, low LOD and rapid response time. The method was successfully applied to detect TBZ in real orange samples, with good recoveries obtained.