Recent advances in photoelectrochemical sensing of tetracyclines

Abstract

Tetracyclines (TCs) are widely used antibiotics whose residues pose environmental and health risks, necessitating sensitive and selective detection. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensors have emerged as promising analytical tools due to their high sensitivity, low background noise, and cost-effective instrumentation. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in PEC sensing of TCs. We begin by categorizing the photoactive materials employed in PEC sensing and examining their structural design strategies, heterojunction engineering, and photoelectric properties. Subsequently, we elaborate on the fundamental signal transduction mechanisms, including the intrinsic redox activity of TCs, steric hindrance-induced current suppression, and coordination-mediated modulation of interfacial charge transfer. Furthermore, we highlight representative PEC sensing systems reported for TCs detection, classifying them based on recognition strategies such as aptamer binding, molecular imprinting, electrostatic adsorption, and site-specific coordination—each linked to distinct signal generation modes. Finally, current limitations and promising strategies for further performance enhancement of PEC sensors are discussed. This review provides a comprehensive perspective on PEC strategies for TCs detection and offers guidance for future innovations in environmental and food safety monitoring.