Antibiotics　are　widely　used　as　drugs　to　treat human　and　animal diseases.　However,　the　widespread　use　of　antibiotics　has　induced　environmental　contamination　by　antibiotics　and　development　of　resistant　bacteria.　There　thus　a　need　for　advanced　methods　to　remove　antibiotics,　e.g.　from　natural　waters.　Here　we　used　the　concept　that antigens　and　antibodies　bind　specifically to　remove　tetracycline.　Magnetic　Fe　3　O　4　–polyamidoamine(PAMAM)–antibody　complexes　were　synthesized　to　remove　tetracycline　at　optimum　pH　and　temperature.　In vitro　cytotoxicity　of　tetracycline/treated　solutions　was　evaluated　in　human　skin　fibroblasts　(HSF)　cells　by　using　MTT　dye assay,　along　with　flow　cytometry　study　for　cell　cycle　distributions　and　cell　apoptosis.　The　results　show　that　the　toxicity　of　tetracycline　solutions　was　highly reduced　after　treatment　by　magnetic　Fe　3　O　4　–PAMAM–antibody　complexes,　and　the　survival　rate　of　the　cells　was　increased.　The　tetracycline　may　induce　the　disintegration　of　the　nucleosomes　of　the　HSF　cells　and　eventually　lead　to　the　cell　apoptosis.　The　results　show　that　the　method　of　removing　tetracycline　has　higher　biosafety.　©　2018,　Springer　Nature　Switzerland　AG.