Ti3C2 MXene quantum dots as a ratiometric fluorescent probe for the detection of ofloxacin in food samples.

Ofloxacin (OFL) is an effective antibiotic against bacteria. However, the overuse of OFL can lead to residues in animal-derived foods, posing a potential threat to human health. Therefore, it is crucial to design a sensitive and reliable detection platform for OFL. In this study, a ratiometric fluorescent probe was establihed based on Trp-Ce-Ti3C2 quantum dots for the detection of OFL. As the concentration of OFL increased, the fluorescence intensity at 433 nm continuously decreased due to static quenching, and the emission at 495 nm progressively increased due to the formation of a new complex. The developed ratiometric fluorescent probe exhibited a wide detection range (0.1–100 µM) and a low limit of detection (0.07 µM) for the quantitative detection of OFL. The proposed ratiometric fluorescent probe has been successfully applied to the determination of OFL in real samples with satisfactory recoveries (92.80%–116.51%).