One 18-metal Nd(III) nanoring, [Nd-18(L-1)(8)(HL2)(2)(OAc)(20)(MeOH)(8)(EtOH)(6)(H2O)(4)]center dot 2(MeOH)center dot 6(H2O) (1), was constructed by the use of a hexadentate Schiff base ligand. For 1, the nearinfrared (NIR) luminescence of Nd(III) was detected under the excitation of absorption band at 371 nm. The study of luminescent sensing properties exhibits that, even with the existence of other antibiotics, this Nd(III) nanoring displays high sensitivity and selectivity to nitrofuran antibiotics (NFAs). The luminescence quenching constants and limits of detection of 1 to NFAs are found to be 1.4 x 10(4) to 3.5 x 10(4) M-1 and 0.9-2.2 mu M, respectively.