One-pot synthesis of nano Zr-based metal-organic frameworks for fluorescence determination of quercetin and Hg2

•Facile one-pot method to synthesize Nano-Zr-MOF.•Possessing good dispersion and optical properties.•Real-time detection of quercetin and Hg2+ by synergistic effect. In this study, a nanoscale Zr-based metal–organic framework (nano-Zr-MOF) was prepared by one-pot method using meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin as organic ligand and Zr4+ as metal unit. The nanoscale structure endows it with excellent dispersion in water. The nano-Zr-MOF exhibited intense red fluorescence, which could be significantly quenched by the addition of quercetin, probably due to its electron-rich framework. The high selectivity for quercetin detection was verified with analogues and common ions as interfering agents. Moreover, the nano-Zr-MOF could be used as a highly selective and sensitive sensor for the detection of Hg2+. The detection limits for quercetin and Hg2+ were 0.026 μM and 0.039 μM, respectively. This fluorometric method was successfully applied to detect quercetin in red wine and food samples with satisfactory recoveries ranging from 83.7–112.3% and 81.8–115.9%, respectively. The recovery in detection of Hg2+ in lake water were ranging from 97.1–109.2%.