Screen Printed Electrode Based Detection Systems for the Antibiotic Amoxicillin in Aqueous Samples Utilising Molecularly Imprinted Polymers as Synthetic Receptors
Oliver Jamieson,
Thais C. C. Soares,
Beatriz A. de Faria,
Alexander Hudson,
Francesco Mecozzi,
Samuel J. Rowley-Neale,
Craig E. Banks,
Jonas Gruber,
Katarina Novakovic,
Marloes Peeters,
Robert D. Crapnell
Affiliations
Oliver Jamieson
School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Merz Court, Claremond Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
Thais C. C. Soares
Departamento de Engenharia Química, Escola Politécnica, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Prof. Luciano Gualberto, trav. 3, 380, CEP 05508-900 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
Beatriz A. de Faria
Departamento de Química Fundamental, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 748, CEP 05508-000 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
Alexander Hudson
School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Merz Court, Claremond Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
Francesco Mecozzi
Faculty of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, John Dalton Building, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
Samuel J. Rowley-Neale
Faculty of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, John Dalton Building, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
Craig E. Banks
Faculty of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, John Dalton Building, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
Jonas Gruber
Departamento de Química Fundamental, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 748, CEP 05508-000 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
Katarina Novakovic
School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Merz Court, Claremond Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
Marloes Peeters
School of Engineering, Newcastle University, Merz Court, Claremond Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
Robert D. Crapnell
Faculty of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, John Dalton Building, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) were synthesised for the selective detection of amoxicillin in aqueous samples. Different functional monomers were tested to determine the optimal composition via batch rebinding experiments. Two different sensor platforms were tested using the same MIP solution; one being bulk synthesized and surface modified Screen Printed Electrodes (SPEs) via drop casting the microparticles onto the electrode surface and the other being UV polymerized directly onto the SPE surface in the form of a thin film. The sensors were used to measure amoxicillin in conjunction with the Heat-Transfer Method (HTM), a low-cost and simple thermal detection method that is based on differences in the thermal resistance at the solid−liquid interface. It was demonstrated that both sensor platforms could detect amoxicillin in the relevant concentration range with Limits of Detection (LOD) of 1.89 ± 1.03 nM and 0.54 ± 0.10 nM for the drop cast and direct polymerisation methods respectively. The sensor platform utilising direct UV polymerisation exhibited an enhanced response for amoxicillin detection, a reduced sensor preparation time and the selectivity of the platform was proven through the addition of nafcillin, a pharmacophore of similar shape and size. The use of MIP-modified SPEs combined with thermal detection provides sensors that can be used for fast and low-cost detection of analytes on-site, which holds great potential for contaminants in environmental aqueous samples. The platform and synthesis methods are generic and by adapting the MIP layer it is possible to expand this sensor platform to a variety of relevant targets.
