Eco-Friendly Carbon Dots from Chamomile Leaves for Sensitive Tetracycline Detection in Milk and Water: A Green Analytical Assessment

Tetracycline (TC), a commonly used antibiotic, presents significant health risks to both humans and animals when found in various samples. In this research, carbon dots (CDs) were created through a one-step hydrothermal process using chamomile leaves as the precursor material. The presence of TC caused a quenching of fluorescence (FL) in the synthesized CDs. Upon excitation at a peak wavelength of 345 nm, the CDs exhibit blue fluorescence with an emission at 420 nm. The sensor exhibited impressive analytical capabilities for detecting TC, with detection limits (LOD) of 6.13 µM and quantitation limits (LOQ) of 18.58 µM, respectively. Additionally, the probe showed high efficacy in analyzing TC presence in tap water and milk samples. To evaluate the environmental impact of the method, two green metrics, AGREE and BAGI, were applied, and the results confirmed its excellent environmental sustainability. This research provides valuable advancements in the areas of food safety, analytical chemistry, and monitoring of environmental conditions.