Engineering and design of a COF-coated probe for the detection and removal of flumequine and enrofloxacin antibiotics in foodstuffs: a molecular dynamics simulation approach

Abstract Optimal nutrition is crucial for overall health and disease prevention. Fluoroquinolones (FQs), which are synthetic antibacterial agents, are commonly used both in food preservation and in the treatment of infectious diseases. However, their overuse can lead to significant health risks, inc...

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Main Authors: Alireza Nakhaei, Heidar Raissi, Maryam Alaei, Farzaneh Farzad
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer 2025-02-01
Series:Discover Food
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s44187-025-00296-8
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author Alireza Nakhaei
Heidar Raissi
Maryam Alaei
Farzaneh Farzad
author_facet Alireza Nakhaei
Heidar Raissi
Maryam Alaei
Farzaneh Farzad
author_sort Alireza Nakhaei
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Optimal nutrition is crucial for overall health and disease prevention. Fluoroquinolones (FQs), which are synthetic antibacterial agents, are commonly used both in food preservation and in the treatment of infectious diseases. However, their overuse can lead to significant health risks, including water contamination, antibiotic-resistant pathogens, kidney disease, reproductive disorders, cancers, and severe allergic reactions. Among the frequently used fluoroquinolones are enrofloxacin and flumequine, both of which are essential in various therapeutic applications. The presence of antibiotic residues in food is a growing concern, highlighting the need for highly sensitive and accurate analytical techniques capable of detecting these residues at low concentrations. The complex matrix of food samples complicates the precise quantification of trace-level analytes. In this context, the development of contaminant detection and removal techniques based on covalent organic frameworks (COFs) has garnered considerable attention. This study aims to design a COF-coated probe for the detection and removal of enrofloxacin and flumequine antibiotic in food samples. The interaction between the antibiotics and COFs occurs primarily through van der Waals (VdW) forces and electrostatic interactions. Our simulations reveal that the flumequine/COF-316 (FLU/COF-316) complex exhibits the lowest average interaction energy at approximately −478 kJ/mol, while the enrofloxacin/COF-316-COOH (ENR/COF-316-COOH) complex has a higher interaction energy, approximately −220 kJ/mol. The main contributor to these interactions is the Lennard–Jones potential, which arises from strong π-π interactions between the fluoroquinolone molecules and the COF surface. Overall, our findings suggest that the COF-316 nanostructure is more effective than COF-316-COOH in adsorbing enrofloxacin and flumequine antibiotics. This study emphasizes the potential of using both COFs for the detection and removal of flumequine and enrofloxacin antibiotics in foodstuffs, presenting a promising strategy for identifying antibiotic residues in complex food matrices.
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spelling doaj-art-767349fa33a64b1cab5b721774f535bc2025-02-09T12:41:04ZengSpringerDiscover Food2731-42862025-02-015111210.1007/s44187-025-00296-8Engineering and design of a COF-coated probe for the detection and removal of flumequine and enrofloxacin antibiotics in foodstuffs: a molecular dynamics simulation approachAlireza Nakhaei0Heidar Raissi1Maryam Alaei2Farzaneh Farzad3Department of Chemistry, University of BirjandDepartment of Chemistry, University of BirjandDepartment of Chemistry, University of BirjandDepartment of Chemistry, University of BirjandAbstract Optimal nutrition is crucial for overall health and disease prevention. Fluoroquinolones (FQs), which are synthetic antibacterial agents, are commonly used both in food preservation and in the treatment of infectious diseases. However, their overuse can lead to significant health risks, including water contamination, antibiotic-resistant pathogens, kidney disease, reproductive disorders, cancers, and severe allergic reactions. Among the frequently used fluoroquinolones are enrofloxacin and flumequine, both of which are essential in various therapeutic applications. The presence of antibiotic residues in food is a growing concern, highlighting the need for highly sensitive and accurate analytical techniques capable of detecting these residues at low concentrations. The complex matrix of food samples complicates the precise quantification of trace-level analytes. In this context, the development of contaminant detection and removal techniques based on covalent organic frameworks (COFs) has garnered considerable attention. This study aims to design a COF-coated probe for the detection and removal of enrofloxacin and flumequine antibiotic in food samples. The interaction between the antibiotics and COFs occurs primarily through van der Waals (VdW) forces and electrostatic interactions. Our simulations reveal that the flumequine/COF-316 (FLU/COF-316) complex exhibits the lowest average interaction energy at approximately −478 kJ/mol, while the enrofloxacin/COF-316-COOH (ENR/COF-316-COOH) complex has a higher interaction energy, approximately −220 kJ/mol. The main contributor to these interactions is the Lennard–Jones potential, which arises from strong π-π interactions between the fluoroquinolone molecules and the COF surface. Overall, our findings suggest that the COF-316 nanostructure is more effective than COF-316-COOH in adsorbing enrofloxacin and flumequine antibiotics. This study emphasizes the potential of using both COFs for the detection and removal of flumequine and enrofloxacin antibiotics in foodstuffs, presenting a promising strategy for identifying antibiotic residues in complex food matrices.https://doi.org/10.1007/s44187-025-00296-8Covalent-organic frameworkCOF-coated probeFQs probeClassical molecular dynamics simulationFood industryMetadynamics
spellingShingle Alireza Nakhaei
Heidar Raissi
Maryam Alaei
Farzaneh Farzad
Engineering and design of a COF-coated probe for the detection and removal of flumequine and enrofloxacin antibiotics in foodstuffs: a molecular dynamics simulation approach
Discover Food
Covalent-organic framework
COF-coated probe
FQs probe
Classical molecular dynamics simulation
Food industry
Metadynamics
title Engineering and design of a COF-coated probe for the detection and removal of flumequine and enrofloxacin antibiotics in foodstuffs: a molecular dynamics simulation approach
title_full Engineering and design of a COF-coated probe for the detection and removal of flumequine and enrofloxacin antibiotics in foodstuffs: a molecular dynamics simulation approach
title_fullStr Engineering and design of a COF-coated probe for the detection and removal of flumequine and enrofloxacin antibiotics in foodstuffs: a molecular dynamics simulation approach
title_full_unstemmed Engineering and design of a COF-coated probe for the detection and removal of flumequine and enrofloxacin antibiotics in foodstuffs: a molecular dynamics simulation approach
title_short Engineering and design of a COF-coated probe for the detection and removal of flumequine and enrofloxacin antibiotics in foodstuffs: a molecular dynamics simulation approach
title_sort engineering and design of a cof coated probe for the detection and removal of flumequine and enrofloxacin antibiotics in foodstuffs a molecular dynamics simulation approach
topic Covalent-organic framework
COF-coated probe
FQs probe
Classical molecular dynamics simulation
Food industry
Metadynamics
url https://doi.org/10.1007/s44187-025-00296-8
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