Aggregation-induced emission materials for fluorescence analysis: Recent progress in rapid detection of pesticide and veterinary drug residues

Pesticides and veterinary drugs are indispensable for crop cultivation, protection, and storage. However, concerns regarding their persistent residues in soil, water, and agricultural products, which lead to significant environmental pollution and human health risks, cannot be overlooked. Consequently, the urgent development of sensitive, effective, simple, rapid, and user-friendly methods for quantitative residue detection is essential. Fluorescence analysis, characterized by its intuitive readout, high sensitivity, simplicity, speed, and ease of operation, has emerged as a primary technique for this purpose. Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) materials offer a distinct advantage by overcoming the ubiquitous aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) effect inherent in conventional fluorophores. With high fluorescence quantum yield, tunable photophysical properties, good photostability, and excellent stability, AIE materials provide very slight background signals and high signal intensity, making them extremely effective probes for pesticide and veterinary drug detection. Recent trends in AIE development focus on designing multifunctional and smart probes, integrating AIE materials with portable and on-site detection platforms, and expanding applications toward multiplexed and real-time analysis. This comprehensive review critically surveys the application of AIE material-based fluorescence analysis for detecting various pesticide residues (such as organophosphorus pesticides, paraquat, atrazine, trifluralin, and dithiocarbamates) and veterinary drug residues (including tetracyclines, quinolones, and chloramphenicol). By highlighting recent advancements and key design strategies, this review aims to stimulate further innovation in AIE-based sensors and accelerate their translation into practical, commercial detection technologies to safeguard food safety and environmental health.