Exploring the potential of molecularly imprinted polymers and metal/metal oxide nanoparticles in sensors: recent advancements and prospects.

Metal/metal oxide nanoparticles have gained increasing attention in recent years due to their outstanding features, including optical and catalytic properties, as well as their excellent conductivity. The implementation of metal/metal oxide nanoparticles, combined with molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) has paved the way for a new generation of building blocks to engineer and enhance the fascinating features of advanced sensors. This review critically evaluates the impact of combining metal/metal oxide nanoparticles with MIPs in sensors. It covers synthesis strategies, advantages of coupling these materials with MIPs, and addresses questions about the selectivity of these hybrid materials. In the end, the current challenges and future perspectives of this field are discussed, with a particular focus on the potential applications of these hybrid composites in the sensor field. This review highlights the exciting opportunities of using metal/metal oxide nanoparticles along with MIPs for the development of next-generation sensors.

Unlocking the Potential of Molecularly Imprinted Polydopamine in Sensing Applications.

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are synthetic receptors that mimic the specificity of biological antibody-antigen interactions. By using a "lock and key" process, MIPs selectively bind to target molecules that were used as templates during polymerization. While MIPs are typically prepared using conventional monomers, such as methacrylic acid and acrylamide, contemporary advancements have pivoted towards the functional potential of dopamine as a novel monomer. The overreaching goal of the proposed review is to fully unlock the potential of molecularly imprinted polydopamine (MIPda) within the realm of cutting-edge sensing applications. This review embarks by shedding light on the intricate tapestry of materials harnessed in the meticulous crafting of MIPda, endowing them with tailored properties. Moreover, we will cover the diverse sensing applications of MIPda, including its use in the detection of ions, small molecules, epitopes, proteins, viruses, and bacteria. In addition, the main synthesis methods of MIPda, including self-polymerization and electropolymerization, will be thoroughly examined. Finally, we will examine the challenges and drawbacks associated with this research field, as well as the prospects for future developments. In its entirety, this review stands as a resolute guiding compass, illuminating the path for researchers and connoisseurs alike.

Paper-based optical sensors paired with smartphones for biomedical analysis.

The traditional analytical methods used for biomedical analysis are expensive and not easy to handle and require sophisticated instruments, thus their application is limited in resource-limited settings. Due to their portability, low cost, and ability to be applied to different analytical techniques, paper-based analytical devices are becoming valuable tools for biomedical analysis. The integration of smartphones into analytical devices has provided the ability to build portable, cost-effective, straightforward analytical devices for biomedical analysis and mobile health. The key aim of this review is to emphasize the recent applications of PADs combined with a smartphone for the optical analysis of biomedical species. We started this review by highlighting the type of papers and their modifications with different materials to prepare the PADs. After that, this review presents various detection methods including colorimetry, fluorescence, and luminescence where the smartphone is used for read-out. In the end, we provided the recent applications of the analysis of different biomedical compounds such as cancer and cardiovascular biomarkers, metal ions, glucose, viruses, etc. We believe that the present review will attract a wide scientific community in the areas of analytical chemistry, sensors, and clinical testing.

Metal-Organic Frameworks Meet Molecularly Imprinted Polymers: Insights and Prospects for Sensor Applications.

The use of porous materials as the core for synthesizing molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) adds significant value to the resulting sensing system. This review covers in detail the current progress and achievements regarding the synergistic combination of MIPs and porous materials, namely metal/covalent-organic frameworks (MOFs/COFs), including the application of such frameworks in the development of upgraded sensor platforms. The different processes involved in the synthesis of MOF/COF-MIPs are outlined, along with their intrinsic properties. Special attention is paid to debriefing the impact of the morphological changes that occur through the synergistic combination compared to those that occur due to the individual entities. Thereafter, the strategies used for building the sensors, as well as the transduction modes, are overviewed and discussed. This is followed by a full description of research advances for various types of MOF/COF-MIP-based (bio)sensors and their applications in the fields of environmental monitoring, food safety, and pharmaceutical analysis. Finally, the challenges/drawbacks, as well as the prospects of this research field, are discussed in detail.

Acetazolamide smartphone-based detection via its competition with sulfamethoxazole on molecularly imprinted polymer: A proof-of-concept.

In this work, a competitive assay based on molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) is developed for the rapid screening of acetazolamide (ACZ) using a colorimetric method coupled with smartphone-based detection. Because of it is an analog of ACZ and its ability to be transformed into a colored product, sulfamethoxazole (SMX) was used as a competitor to indirectly determine ACZ from the inhibition degree of SMX onto the MIP. It was found firstly that ACZ-SMX competition was not possible without using support. We proceed after that to competition on MIP that is a propitious platform for adsorbing selectively both molecules since it possesses specific active sites. Indeed, two different MIPs were synthesized, namely SMX-imprinted polymer (MIPSMX) and ACZ-imprinted polymer (MIPACZ), and the results showed that MIPSMX is better for ACZ-SMX competition. Both MIPs were characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The smartphone was employed for taking images and analyzing color intensities by (RGB) color application. Our proposed detection method of ACZ reached 0.03 and 0.1 µM as limits of detection and quantification, respectively. The developed assay was successfully applied for the determination of ACZ in pharmaceutical drug and mineral water samples showing satisfactory recoveries. The proposed proof-of-concept based on the rapid screening of ACZ by competition method and smartphone was demonstrated successfully and thus can open new avenues for other applications.

Key Advances in MIP-based Sensors Applied for Cancer and Cardiovascular Biomarkers Detection.

Cancer and cardiovascular diseases have become one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Therefore, early detection of these diseases and rapid intervention by medical staff remain a great challenge for clinicians and healthcare providers worldwide. Cancer and cardiovascular disease biomarkers are promising tools for early diagnosis before it becomes incurable at an advanced stage. They also contribute to monitoring the progress of therapy and surgical treatment. Indeed, sensors have shown great importance for detecting cancer and cardiovascular biomarkers. Sensors usually require a recognition element for the selective detection of targets. Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP), as an artificial antibody, has been proposed as an alternative recognition element in sensing fields to overcome the main drawbacks of natural antibodies. With the high need for sensors providing results quicklyand making the early diagnosis of these diseases easier, MIP-based sensors are attracting considerable interest recently, which will undoubtedly be increased in the future due to the sustainability trend. The key aim of this review is to emphasize the recent applications of sensors based on MIP for the detection of cancer and cardiovascular biomarkers and to highlight the key advances related to MIP-based sensors. Furthermore, several key future trends about the applications of MIP-based sensors for detecting cardiovascular and cancer biomarkers are presented.

Molecularly Imprinted Polymers Combined with Electrochemical Sensors for Food Contaminants Analysis.

Detection of relevant contaminants using screening approaches is a key issue to ensure food safety and respect for the regulatory limits established. Electrochemical sensors present several advantages such as rapidity; ease of use; possibility of on-site analysis and low cost. The lack of selectivity for electrochemical sensors working in complex samples as food may be overcome by coupling them with molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). MIPs are synthetic materials that mimic biological receptors and are produced by the polymerization of functional monomers in presence of a target analyte. This paper critically reviews and discusses the recent progress in MIP-based electrochemical sensors for food safety. A brief introduction on MIPs and electrochemical sensors is given; followed by a discussion of the recent achievements for various MIPs-based electrochemical sensors for food contaminants analysis. Both electropolymerization and chemical synthesis of MIP-based electrochemical sensing are discussed as well as the relevant applications of MIPs used in sample preparation and then coupled to electrochemical analysis. Future perspectives and challenges have been eventually given.

Fast microwave-assisted synthesis of magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer for sulfamethoxazole.

A fast and simple strategy based on the microwave technique for the preparation of magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (MMIPs) is proposed for the selective determination of sulfamethoxazole (SMX). The MMIPs were synthesized at 70 °C in 20 min, being much faster than the conventional techniques. A computational approach based on density functional theory was used to design the MMIP and compare the two most used monomers in MIPs, including methacrylic acid (MAA) and acrylamide (AM). Then, two different MMIPs were prepared using AM and MAA as monomers. The resultant materials were characterized with X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning/transmission electron microscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Besides, the adsorption characterizations suggested that the adsorption of SMX followed the pseudo-second-order model in the kinetic study and the Sips model in the isotherm study. The experimental results corroborated the computational approach. Furthermore, Both MMIPs demonstrated good selectivity. The MMIP-AM and MMIP-MAA were applied as adsorbents in magnetic dispersive solid-phase extraction combined with UV-visible spectroscopy to quantify SMX. The obtained limits of detection and quantification were lower than 0.59 and 1.77 µM, respectively for both MMIPs. The sensitivity of both MMIPs was in the range of 0.021-0.023 (SI). Our findings revealed that there is no significant difference in the analytical parameters between MMIP-AM and MMIP-MAA. However, the application of both MMIPs in a real sample (tap water) showed that the recovery values of SMX obtained with MMIP-AM (68-70%) were lower than that with MMIP-MAA (80-90%) suggesting that MMIP-MAA is more appropriate for SMX determination.

Study of solvent effect on the synthesis of magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers based on ultrasound probe: Application for sulfonamide detection.

In this work, a comparative study of the effect of various solvents on the synthesis of magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (MMIPs) based on the use of high-power ultrasound probe is reported for the first time. Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), dimethylformamide (DMF), ethanol, acetonitrile and acetone were studied as solvents for the synthesis of MMIPs. Several crucial experimental conditions such as the time of synthesis and the applied amplitude were investigated. DMSO, DMF and ethanol were successfully used for ultrasound-assisted synthesis of MMIPs. However, for the polymerization performed using acetonitrile and acetone, no significant conversion to product was observed. Under optimal conditions for each solvent tested, the synthesized MMIPs were characterized using several techniques such as Scanning/Transmission Electron Microscopy (SEM and STEM modes), X-Ray Diffraction, Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectroscopy, Thermal Gravimetric Analysis and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer system. The study of adsorption time of MMIPs showed that fast adsorption occurred due to the presence of specific imprinted sites on the surface. Moreover, isotherm study showed that the experimental equilibrium data fitted well with Freundlich model. The results of selectivity study indicated that MMIPs could selectively recognize the target molecule. Due to its high adsorption properties and easiness of preparation, MMIP-DMSO was used successfully as adsorbent material in solid-phase extraction coupled to a colorimetric method for sulfamethoxazole (SMX). After optimizing analytical conditions, a calibration plot was performed in the concentration range from 0.2 to 5 µg·mL-1 with limits of detection and quantitation of 0.06 and 0.2 µg·mL-1, respectively. The developed procedure was applied successfully for SMX determination in spiked tap and mineral waters showing satisfactory recoveries. Besides, reusability study demonstrated that MMIP could be reused at least 8 times keeping good binding capacity.