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The coexistence of multiple contaminates in the environment and food is of growing concern due to their extremely hazard as a well-known class I carcinogen, like aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and benzo(α)pyrene (BaP). AFB1 and BaP are susceptible to coexistence in environmental water and edible oil, posing a significant potential risk to environmental monitoring and food safety. The remaining challenges in detecting multiple contaminates include unsatisfied sensitivity, insufficient targets selectivity, and interferences in complex matrices. Here, we developed dual-template magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (DMMIPs) for selective extraction of dual targets in complex matrices from the environment and food. The DMMIPs were fabricated by surface imprinting with vinyl-functionalized Fe 3 O 4 as carrier, 5,7-dimethoxycoumarin and pyrene as dummy templates, and methacrylamide as functional monomer. The DMMIPs showed excellent adsorption ability (12.73-15.80 mg/g), imprinting factors (2.01-2.58), and reusability of three adsorption-desorption cycles for AFB1 and BaP. The adsorption mechanism including hydrogen bond, electrostatic interaction and van der Waals force was confirmed by physical characterization and DFT calculation. Applying DMMIPs in magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis enabled detection limits of 0.134 μg/L for AFB1 and 0.107 μg/L for BaP. Recovery rates for water and edible oil samples were recorded as 86.2%-110.3% with RSDs of 4.1%-11.9%. This approach demonstrates potential for simultaneous identification and extraction of multiple contaminants in environmental and food., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are artificial receptors equipped with selective recognition sites for target molecules. One of the most promising strategies for protein MIPs relies on the exploitation of short surface-exposed protein fragments, termed epitopes, as templates to imprint binding sites in a polymer scaffold for a desired protein. However, the lack of high-resolution structural data of flexible surface-exposed regions challenges the selection of suitable epitopes. Here, we addressed this drawback by developing a polyscopoletin-based MIP that recognizes recombinant proteins via imprinting of the widely used Strep-tag II affinity peptide (Strep-MIP). Electrochemistry, surface-sensitive IR spectroscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations were employed to ensure an utmost control of the Strep-MIP electrosynthesis. The functionality of this novel platform was verified with two Strep-tagged enzymes: an O 2 -tolerant [NiFe]-hydrogenase, and an alkaline phosphatase. The enzymes preserved their biocatalytic activities after multiple utilization confirming the efficiency of Strep-MIP as a general biocompatible platform to confine recombinant proteins for exploitation in biotechnology., (© 2024 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

A novel miniaturized, solid-contact potentiometric screen-printed electrode was developed for highly sensitive and selective determination of lidocaine anesthetic. The electrode integrated single-walled carbon nanotubes as a solid-contact material and a molecularly imprinted polymer as a recognition sensory material. The performance characteristics of the electrode were evaluated and optimized to display a Nernstian slope of 58.92 ± 0.98 mV/decade over a linear concentration range of 4.53 × 10 -7 to 6.18 × 10 -3  mol/l within < 6 s. The detection limit was 7.75 × 10 -8  mol/l (18.16 ng/ml) of lidocaine. The use of the molecularly imprinted polymer significantly enhanced the selectivity of the electrode, and carbon nanotubes increased the sensitivity, accuracy, and potential stability. The electrode was successfully used for determining lidocaine in pharmaceutical preparations and human urine. The results favorably compared with data obtained by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval All the experiments adhered to the guidelines set forth in the Declaration of Helsinki (1964) and the Clinical Medical Research Regulation Act of 2020. Approval was granted by the Ethical Committee (EC) of the Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Emtricitabine (FTC) is a commonly prescribed anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) drug that has been classified as an emerging environmental pharmaceutical micropollutant due to its poor metabolism, refractory nature to wastewater treatment, continuous discharge with wastewater effluent and accumulation in the aquatic environment. Although there are no reported limits and toxicity of the drug in the environment yet, it is crucial to develop onsite, rapid, selective and ultrasensitive water sensing systems for FTC to ensure efficient risk management and environmental sustainability., Results: Herein, a molecularly imprinted poly(para-aminobenzoic acid) (MIP) was electrochemically prepared on iron oxide nanoparticles modified glassy carbon electrode (MIP/Fe 3 O 4 NPs/GCE) for selective detection of FTC using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). During the detection, the voltammetric signal of the MIP sensor decreased with increasing concentrations of the non-electroactive FTC, indicating hindrance of the MIP sensor's redox activity by the binding analyte. The sensor generated a calibration curve with a linear dynamic range of 1.24-24.7 μg L -1 and a limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.439 and 1.30 μg L -1 , respectively. Moreover, the MIP sensor was 5.2 times more sensitive than the control sensor, a non-imprinted polymer (NIP) sensor, and had a higher apparent binding affinity for FTC than the NIP sensor. The MIP/PABA-Fe 3 O 4 /GCE-based sensor achieved recoveries of 98.8 %-101.5 % for applications in real wastewater and drinking water samples., Significance: The combination of Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles, electrically conducting polymer, and the MIP technology produced a novel, simple, cost-effective, and high-performance voltammetric MIP sensor for an anti-HIV drug, FTC. The result of this study shows that the sensor holds a significant promise for future onsite monitoring of emtricitabine in wastewater, pharmaceutical, and biological samples without prior sample pretreatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Over 90 % of chiral drugs applied in transdermal drug delivery system (TDDS) are racemates, significantly increasing risks of side effects. Herein, we designed a chiral molecularly imprinted patch (CMIP) that achieved enantioselectively controlled release of S-enantiomers (eutomers) and inhibited the release of R-enantiomers (distomers) for transdermal drug delivery. It is composed of chiral pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) and molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP), showing better transdermal delivery of S-enantiomers than that of R-enantiomers in vitro (1.86-fold) and in vivo (3.74-fold), significantly decreasing the intake of distomers. Additionally, synthesized fluorescent probe enantiomers visualized enantioselective process of CMIP. Furthermore, investigations of molecular mechanism indicated that dependence on spatial conformation was dominant. On one hand, imprinted cavity of MIP with D-isomer and stronger chiral interaction with R-enantiomers led to more specific adsorption. On the other hand, L-isomer of PSA controlled the release of S-enantiomers by multiple interaction including chiral H-bond, π-π interaction and Van der Waals force. Tthus, the innovatively designed transdermal patch with enantioselective ability released eutomers of racemate and simultaneously inhibited release of distomers, significantly improving therapeutical efficiency and avoiding overdose., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Phthalate esters (PAEs), as emerging pollutants, pose a serious threat to human health and have become a major concern in the fields of environmental protection and food safety. Selective adsorption using molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) is feasible, but most MIPs use the potentially toxic methacrylic acid (MAA) as a functional monomer, along with other crosslinking agents. In this study, MIP adsorbent was prepared using only ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as both the functional monomer and crosslinking agent, without the inclusion of MAA. The adsorbent was utilized for the adsorption of PAEs from an ethanol aqueous solution. The results showed that EGDMA-based MIP (EMIP) achieved better adsorption performance of PAEs than MAA-based MIP (MMIP) due to more interactions of EGDMA with PAEs than MAA with them. For the adsorption of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) using EMIP, 95% of the equilibrium adsorption capacity was achieved within the first 15 min. In the isotherm analysis, the theoretical maximum adsorption capacity of EMIP was obtained as high as 159.24 mg/g at 20 °C in an ethanol (10 v%) aqueous solution. Furthermore, the adsorption of EMIP was not affected by the pH of the solution. The adsorption process of EMIP followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic and Freundlich isotherm model. Ethanol had a significant impact on the adsorption of DBP, and the results of molecular simulation could validate this. In addition, the regeneration experiments indicated that EMIP could be recycled 5 times without significant performance change and had a high recovery efficiency of 94.55%., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Food safety is an important cornerstone of protecting human health and life. Therefore, it is of great significance to detect possible pollutants in food sensitively and efficiently. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been widely used in the adsorption and detection of food pollutants. However, traditional MIPs have problems such as uneven loading of the imprinted cavity and slow mass transfer efficiency. While the adsorption of MOFs has low specificity and cannot accurately identify target molecules. Therefore, some researchers have taken advantage of the high specific recognition abilities of MIPs and the large specific surface areas, high porosity and easy functionalization of MOFs to combine MOFs with MIPs, and have achieved a series of important results in the field of food safety detection. This paper reviews the research progress of the application of MOFs-MIPs in the field of food safety detection from 2019 to 2024. It furnishes researchers interested in this domain with a rapid and comprehensive grasp of the latest research status, it also offers them a chance to anticipate future development trends, thereby supporting the continuous advances of MOFs-MIPs in food safety detection., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A home-made screen printed electrode (SPE) was designed with a magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotube composite (MWCNT-Fe 3 O 4 ) and a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for sensitive and selective electrochemical analysis of famotidine (FAM). The SPE was fabricated using non-commercial conductive inks such as carbon and silver inks. The electrodes were printed by a painting technique on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheets as a substrate. To optimize the composition of the carbon ink, a mixture design methodology was employed. A computational approach was used to select the functional monomer. The imprinted layer was synthesized by electropolymerization of FAM (template) and pyrrole (PY) (monomer) using cyclic voltammetry (CV) on the working electrode surface modified with the MWCNT-Fe 3 O 4 nanocomposite. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was applied to characterize the template removal and rebinding processes. The Plackett-Burman design (PBD) and central composite design (CCD) investigated the effect of parameters on the MIP/MWCNT-Fe 3 O 4 /SPE performance. The sensor exhibited a linear dynamic range of 1-1000 μM ( R 2 = 0.9919) with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.027 μM (3 s b , n = 3). It demonstrated good repeatability and reproducibility, with relative standard deviations (RSD) of 3.6 and 4.2, respectively. This disposable and cost-effective sensor successfully detected FAM in simulated real samples and correlated well with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) results.

For the first time an electrochemical sensor based on nanomaterial-supported molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) is applied to the sensitive and specific determination of chloroquine phosphate (CHL). The sensor was produced using an electropolymerization (EP) approach, and it was formed on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) using CHL as a template and 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propane sulfonic acid (AMPS) and aniline (ANI) as functional monomers. Incorporating Prussian blue polyethyleneglycol-amine nanoparticles (PB@PEG-NH 2 ) in the MIP-based electrochemical sensor increased the active surface area and porosity. The developed CHL/AMPS-PANI/PB@PEG-NH 2 /MIP-GCE sensor was characterized morphologically and electrochemically using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The indirect measurement of CHL was accomplished in 5.0 mmol L -1 [Fe(CN) 6 ] -3/-4 solution using differential pulse voltammetry, displaying linear response between 1.75 × 10 -12 and 2.50 × 10 -13  M, and limits of detection (LOD) and quantitation (LOQ) of 6.68 × 10 -14  M and 2.23 × 10 -13  M, respectively, in standard solutions. CHL recoveries in spiked serum and tablet form ranged from 99.13 to 101.51%, while the relative standard deviations (RSD%) were below 2.41% in both types of samples. In addition, the sensor's excellent selectivity was successfully demonstrated in the presence of components with a chemical structure similar to CHL., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval No approval of research ethics committees was required to accomplish the goals of this study. Conflict of interest The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are a class of synthetic recognition materials that offer a cost-effective and robust alternative to antibodies. While MIPs have found predominant use in biosensing and diagnostic applications, their potential for alternative uses, such as enzyme inhibition, remains unexplored. In this work, we synthesized a range of acrylamide-based hydrogel MIP microparticles (35 μm) specific for the recognition of α-amylase. These MIPs also showed good selectivity toward the target protein with over 96% binding of the target protein, compared with the control nonimprinted polymer (NIP) counterparts. Specificity of the MIPs was determined with the binding of nontarget proteins, trypsin, human serum albumin (HSA), and bovine serum albumin (BSA). The MIPs were further evaluated for their ability to inhibit α-amylase enzymatic activity, showing a significant decrease in activity. These findings highlight the potential of MIPs as enzyme inhibitors, suggesting an innovative application beyond their conventional use.

Zearalenone (ZEN) is a mycotoxin that poses significant risks to human and animal health due to its mutagenic, immunosuppressive, and carcinogenic properties. This study presents a novel analytical method for detecting ZEN using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) combined with a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP). ZEN, used as the template molecule, was incorporated into polypyrrole on screen-printed electrodes (SPE), and a ZEN-sensitive MIP sensor was created through template removal. The modified sensor surfaces were characterized by EIS and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). An impedimetric MIP sensor for ZEN was developed, offering a detection range from 1 pM to 500 pM. The method's limit of detection (LOD) was established at 1 pM (0.3 pg/mL) with a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 (S/N = 3). The method demonstrated high precision and accuracy, with a maximum relative standard deviation (RSD) of less than 4.4% at a 95% confidence level, and relative error (RE) values ranging from -0.8% to -2.7%. The selectivity of the developed MIP sensor was evaluated using ochratoxin A, ochratoxin B, and aflatoxin B1, with no significant interference observed. ZEN recovery from spiked samples was between 95% and 105%, indicating that the method was successfully applied to grain samples, including corn, rice, and wheat., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

An electrochemical sensor was developed for the sensitive and selective detection of sulfadiazine (SDZ), based on a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) film formed on an indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode through a self-assembly process. The SDZ-imprinted ITO electrode (SDZ-MIP/APTES-ITO) was prepared through in situ polymerization using sulfadiazine, methacrylic acid (MAA), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), and 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as the template, functional monomer, cross-linker, and initiator respectively. Before polymerization, the ITO electrode was functionalized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) to promote covalent attachment of the polymer to the electrode. After polymerization, the template molecule SDZ was removed to create selective recognition sites, forming the molecularly imprinted polymer electrode (MIP/APTES-ITO), which facilitates sulfadiazine detection. The sensor's performance was evaluated using cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry, demonstrating a linear response in the sulfadiazine concentration range 0.1 to 300 μM, with a detection limit of 0.11 μM. The MIP-based sensor exhibited good reproducibility, repeatability, selectivity, and stability in sulfadiazine detection. Its practical applicability was confirmed by the successful quantification of sulfadiazine in spiked milk samples., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

Surface-imprinted polymers (ZIF-67@MIPs) supported by ZIF-67 were prepared by precipitation polymerization using enrofloxacin (ENR) as the template molecule, methacrylic acid as the functional monomer, and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the cross-linker. ZIF-67@MIPs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and particle size distribution. The adsorption performance of the polymer was studied. The adsorption equilibrium was reached within 30 min. The maximum adsorption was 9.02 μg·mg -1 . The imprinting factor was 2.58. The polymer was then used as a sorbent of a solid-phase extraction column for the separation and purification of ENR in real water samples. The extraction conditions were optimized. The method was established by high-performance liquid chromatography, and the linearity was verified by UPLC-MSMS. The correlation coefficient and limits of detection and quantification were 0.9999, 0.23 ng·mL -1 , and 0.76 ng·mL -1 , respectively. The recoveries were in the range of 83.79-100.68%; the relative standard deviation was 4.46-7.35%. The above data indicated that the method could be used for the separation and enrichment of ENR in real samples.

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have been investigated extensively for broad applications in diagnostics, imaging and therapeutics due to their antibody-like specificity, high stability, and low-cost and rapid production when compared with biological antibodies. Yet, their wide-scale adoption and commercial viability are limited due to low yields and relatively lengthy preparations of current methods. We report the novel application of protein-functionalised magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) to enable the rapid mass production of nanoMIPs for protein recognition. An aldehyde-functionalised MNP (MNP@CHO) precursor was synthesised using a one-pot microwave method in less than 20 minutes, resulting in 330 mg yield for a 30 mL reaction volume. The MNP@CHO precursor (10 mg) was subsequently functionalised with 600 μg of a target template protein, giving MNP@protein. In the presence of an N -hydroxymethylacrylamide (NHMA) functional monomer and N , N '-methylene bisacrylamide as a crosslinker, the MNP@protein particles served as nucleants for the mass production of nanoMIPs in a 20-30 minute synthesis process. Subsequently, the nanoMIPs could be harvested with sonication and then retrieved using a magnet, leaving the MNP@protein particles to be recycled and re-used at least 5 times for further nanoMIP production cycles. In general, 10 mg of MNP@protein produced 10 mg of nanoMIP with a 20% decrease in the yield over the 5 synthesis cycles. For the bovine haemoglobin nanoMIP, the K D was determined to be 3.47 × 10 -11 M, a binding affinity rivalling values found for monoclonal antibodies. We also demonstrate that the methodology is generic by producing high-affinity nanoMIPs for other proteins including albumin, lysozyme and SARS-CoV-2 recombinant protein. We therefore present a facile route to produce nanoMIPs in large industrially relevant quantities (hundreds of mg) and at short timescales (within a day). Our method offers realistic opportunities for the industry to adopt such materials as an antibody replacement technology in diagnostics, biological extraction and therapeutics.

Wastewater surveillance is an effective and objective approach to monitor contaminant releases and drug usage in the catchment, the estimation requires accurate measurement. In this study, a novel diffusive gradients in thin-film (DGT) technique based on molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for selective measurement of a class of widely prescribed cardiovascular drugs (β-blockers) in wastewater was developed. The synthesized MIPs showed strong affinity and selectivity for the target compounds. The MIP-DGT had large effective capacities, its performance was independent of a wide range of environmental conditions, including pH (4.58 - 8.89), ionic strength (0.01 - 0.5 M) and dissolved organic matter (< 20 mg L -1 ). Biofouling had little effect on the uptake of target compounds within 7 days. MIP-DGT devices were applied in a Chinese urban WWTP alongside an auto-sampler. Metoprolol concentrations detected were much higher than other β-blockers. Concentrations obtained using MIP-DGT were comparable to the 24 h composite samples using an autosampler. The estimated daily consumption calculated based on the data obtained with MIP-DGT implied that metoprolol and propranolol were the most popular β-blockers in the studied area. Overall, the results in this study demonstrate that the MIP-DGT is a cost-effective, reliable and efficient tool for in situ wastewater monitoring., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Currently, analyzing pharmaceuticals and biomarkers is crucial for ensuring medication safety and protecting life and health, and there is an urgent need to develop new and efficient analytical techniques in view of the limitations of traditional analytical methods. Molecularly imprinted ratiometric fluorescent (MI-RFL) sensors have received increasing attention in the field of analytical detection due to their high selectivity, sensitivity and anti-interference ability, short response time, and visualization. This review summarizes the recent advances of MI-RFL sensors in the field of pharmaceuticals and biomarkers detection. Firstly, the fluorescence sources and working mechanisms of MI-RFL sensors are briefly introduced. On this basis, new techniques and strategies for preparing molecularly imprinted polymers, such as dummy template imprinting, nanoimprinting, multi-template imprinting, and stimulus-responsive imprinting strategies, are presented. Then, dual- and triple-emission types of fluorescent sensors are introduced. Subsequently, specific applications of MI-RFL sensors in pharmaceutical analysis and biomarkers detection are highlighted. In addition, innovative applications of MI-RFL sensors in point-of-care testing are discussed in-depth. Finally, the challenges of MI-RFL sensors for analysis of pharmaceuticals and biomarkers are proposed, and the research outlook and development trends of MI-RFL sensors are prospected.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) belongs to the cytokine family and plays a vital role in regulating immune response, bone maintenance, body temperature adjustment, and cell growth. The overexpression of IL-6 can indicate various health complications, such as anastomotic leakage, cancer, and chronic diseases. Therefore, the availability of highly sensitive and specific biosensing platforms for IL-6 detection is critical. In this study, for the first time, epitope-mediated IL-6-specific magnetic molecularly imprinted core-shell structures with fluorescent properties were synthesized using a three-step protocol, namely, magnetic nanoparticle functionalization, polymerization, and template removal following thorough optimization studies. The magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers (MMIPs) were characterized using dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering (DLS and ELS), revealing a hydrodynamic size of 169.9 nm and zeta potential of +17.1 mV, while Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy techniques showed characteristic peaks of the polymer and fluorescent tag, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) investigations confirmed the successful encapsulation of the magnetic core within the ca. 5-nm-thick polymeric shell. The MMIP-based electrochemical sensing platform achieved a limit of detection of 0.38 pM within a linear detection range of 0.38-380 pM, indicating high affinity (dissociation constant K D  = 1.6 pM) for IL-6 protein in 50% diluted serum samples. Moreover, comparative investigations with the non-imprinted control polymer demonstrated an imprinting factor of 4, confirming high selectivity. With multifunctional features, including fluorescence, magnetic properties, and target responsiveness, the synthesized MMIPs hold significant potential for application in various sensor techniques as well as imaging., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

A novel model of the sustainable double crosslinked molecularly imprinted polymer (D-Crosslinked MIP) represented as a supramolecular imprinted polymer was synthesized via the bulk polymerization method. The primary crosslinking was fabricated using biomacromolecule chitosan as a functional monomer and glutaraldehyde as a crosslinker. The primary crosslinked was subjected to dynamic interactions in a secondary crosslinking by binding Al 2 O 3 -NPs and TiO 2 -NPs, forming the supramolecular D-Crosslinked-MIP. The dually crosslinked formed from combining three distinct crosslinkers in one system for the interaction with As(V) and Cd(II). A microwave was employed to evaluate the performance of the designed material in selectivity and extraction of metal ions from water. The FT-IR, XRD, TG/DTA, SEM-EDX, TEM, and XPS were used to verify the characteristics of (D-nano-Al 2 O 3 @Crosslinked Chitosan@D-nano-TiO 2 ). The type of solvents, selectivity, interferences, microwave-contact time, pH, temperatures, concentrations, and regeneration were investigated. By using the D-Crosslinked-MIP, at 15 s, Cd(II) revealed a recovery capacity of 99.03 %, Q max 862.07 mg/g, while As(V) demonstrated a recovery capacity of 99.06 %, Q max 850.75 mg/g. The D-Crosslinked-MIP exhibited BETs of 69.01 m 2 /g with a pore volume of 0.2340 cm 3 /g owing to polymeric crosslinking by metal oxide NPs. The kinetics, isotherm models, and mechanisms of dually crosslinking and extraction of toxic metals were discussed., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Sporopollenin is a natural biological macromolecule consisting of highly cross-linked carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms, with a highly porous structure and multifunctional groups. In this work, a novel surface molecularly imprinted polymer based on magnetically aminated cattail sporopollenin (MACSp-SMIP) was prepared for the specific and efficient adsorption of resveratrol, with the aim of purifying resveratrol from Polygonum cuspidatum extracts. MACSp-SMIP was found to have a porous structure covered with the multi-layered sponge-like imprinted polymers. MACSp-SMIP had a high adsorption capacity for resveratrol (65.77 mg·g -1 ) and excellent selectivity (imprinting factor 5.64). The adsorption of resveratrol by MACSp-SMIP was a homogeneous diffusion dominated by chemical adsorption with three stages of external diffusion, internal diffusion, and micropore diffusion. MACSp-SMIP was used as an adsorbent in molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction for the purification of resveratrol from P. cuspidatum extracts, achieving a resveratrol recovery of 94.33 % and a purity of 76.67 % in the final products. MACSp-SMIP maintained a satisfactory recovery of resveratrol (88.18 %) after six cycles. Overall, this work developed a promising biological macromolecule-based adsorbent MACSp-SMIP for the specific and efficient adsorption of resveratrol, and also provided an efficient and simple approach for the selective purification of resveratrol from P. cuspidatum extracts for food/nutraceutical applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Upadacitinib (UPA) is a selective and reversible oral Janus kinase (JAK) 1 inhibitor and is of great importance in treating inflammatory bowel disease (Zheng et al., Int Immunopharmacol 126:111229, 2024; Foy et al., JAAD Case Rep 42:20-22, 2023). Although there are limitations to the effectiveness of UPA, it has received positive responses in clinical trials and is approved for the treatment of atopy dermatitis (AD) (Li et al., Int Immunopharmacol 125:111193, 2023). In this study, a nanoparticle-doped molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-based electrochemical sensor was developed for sensitive and selective detection of UPA. The developed sensor was designed as a thin film layer using the photopolymerization method on the surface of the prepared nanoparticle-doped polymerization solution glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Various nanoparticles, such as multi-walled carbon nanotube, titanium dioxide, oxide, and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles, were the most suitable for UPA. Surface characterization of the developed sensor was done by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electrochemical characterization was done by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The quantitative analysis of UPA was performed in 5.0 mM [Fe (CN) 6 ] 3-/4- solution using the differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) technique. Under optimum conditions, the calibration range was between 0.1 and 1 pM. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were calculated as 0.005 pM and 0.017 pM, respectively. The sensor's accuracy was proven by performing a recovery study in serum. The sensor's selectivity was also evaluated using common interfering substances such as KNO 3 , CaCl 2 , Na 2 SO 4 , uric acid, ascorbic acid, dopamine, and paracetamol. According to the results obtained, the performance of the designed sensor was found to be quite sensitive and selective in determining UPA. The developed UPA-ZnO/3-APBA@MIP-GCE sensor showed high sensitivity and selectivity towards UPA. In addition, the selectivity, the most important feature of the MIP-based sensor, was confirmed by imprinting factor (IF) calculations using tofacitinib (TOF) and ruxolitinib (RUX). The sensor's unique selectivity is demonstrated by its successful performance even in the presence of UPA impurities., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE part of Springer Nature.)

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are polymeric matrices that can mimic natural recognition entities, such as antibodies and biological receptors. Molecular imprinting of therapeutics is very appealing in the design of drug delivery systems since the specific and selective binding sites created within the polymeric matrix turn these complex structures into value-added carriers with tunable features, notably high drug-loading capacity and good control of payload release. MIPs possess considerable promise as synthetic recognition elements in 'theranostics'. Moreover, the high affinity and specificity of MIPs make them more advantageous than other polymer-based nanocomposites. This review summarizes the present state-of-the-art of MIP-based delivery systems for the targeted delivery of bioactives, with current challenges and future perspectives., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The integration of advanced materials and photonic nanostructures can lead to enhanced biodetection capabilities, crucial in clinical scenarios and point-of-care diagnostics, where simplified strategies are essential. Herein, a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) photonic nanostructure is demonstrated, which selectively binding to transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), in which the sensing transduction is enhanced by bound states in the continuum (BICs). The MIP operating as a synthetic antibody matrix and coupled with BIC resonance, enhances the optical response to TGF-β at imprinted sites, leading to an augmented detection capability, thoroughly evaluated through spectral shift and optical lever analogue readout. The validation underscores the MIP-BIC sensor capability to detect TGF-β in spiked saliva, achieving a limit of detection of 10 fM and a resolution of 0.5 pM at physiological concentrations, with a precision of two orders of magnitude above discrimination threshold in patients. The MIP tailored selectivity is highlighted by an imprinting factor of 52, showcasing the sensor resistance to interference from other analytes. The MIP-BIC sensor architecture streamlines the detection process eliminating the need for complex sandwich immunoassays and demonstrates the potential for high-precision quantification. This positions the system as a robust tool for biomarker detection, especially in real-world diagnostic scenarios., (© 2024 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The discovery of enzyme-like catalytic characteristics in nanomaterials triggers the generation of nanozymes and their multifarious applications. As a class of artificial mimetic enzymes, nanozymes are widely recognized to have better stability and lower cost than natural bio-enzymes, but the lack of catalytic specificity hinders their wider use. To solve the problem, several potential strategies are explored, among which molecular imprinting attracts much attention because of its powerful capacity for creating specific binding cavities as biomimetic receptors. Attractively, introducing molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) onto nanozyme surfaces can make an impact on the latter's catalytic activity. As a result, in recent years, MIPs featuring universal fabrication, low cost, and good stability have been intensively integrated with nanozymes for biochemical detection. In this critical review, we first summarize the general fabrication of nanozyme@MIPs, followed by clarifying the potential effects of molecular imprinting on the catalytic performance of nanozymes in terms of selectivity and activity. Typical examples are emphatically discussed to highlight the latest progress of nanozyme@MIPs applied in catalytic analysis. In the end, personal viewpoints on the future directions of nanozyme@MIPs are presented, to provide a reference for studying the interactions between MIPs and nanozymes and attract more efforts to advance this promising area., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE part of Springer Nature.)

A novel approach for the simultaneous separation of zearalenone (ZEN) and four types of aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2) from rice samples was presented. This approach utilized modified MIL-101(Cr)-NH2 as core, with molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) serving as the shell. The MIL-101(Cr)-NH2 was prepared via ring-opening reaction, while the imprinted polymers were synthesized using warfarin and 4-methylumbelliferyl acetate as co-pseudo template, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the cross-linker and azobisisobutyronitrile as initiator. The resulting co-pseudo-template-MIPs (CPT-MIPs) were thoroughly characterized and evaluated. Adsorption studies demonstrate that the adsorption process of CPT-MIPs follows a chemical monolayer adsorption mechanism, with imprinted factors ranging from 1.24 to 1.52 and selective factors ranging from 1.29 to 1.52. Self-made columns were prepared, and the method for separation was developed and validated. The limit of detections ranged from 0.12 to 2.09 μg/kg, and the limit of qualifications ranged from 1.2 to 6.25 μg/kg. To assess the reliability of the method, ZEN and AFs were spiked at three different levels, and the recoveries ranged from 79.53 to 94.58%, with relative standard deviations of 2.90-5.78%., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

A highly sensitive Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) sensor coupled magnetic molecularly imprinted polymers nanoparticles (MMIPs NPs) was developed and validated for the determination of 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BA) in vegetables. MMIPs NPs were synthesized using methacrylic acid (MAA) and sodium p-styrene sulfonate (SSS) as functional monomers. The SPR exhibited a linear dependence on 6-BA concentration in the range 5-300 pg/mL with a low limit of detection (3.02 pg/mL) and limit of quantitation (10.08 pg/mL). The SPR signal of 6-BA-captured MAA/SSS-MMIPs NPs is higher than those of the structural analogues (6-KT and 2-IP: 1.72 and 2.12 times) and the non-structural analogues (2, 4-D and NAA: 2.31 and 2.57 times), indicating the SPR sensor has good selectivity for 6-BA. The recovery of the established method was between 93.8% and 108.6% with a coefficient of variation less than 9.2% in four vegetables. This SPR sensor shows great potential in detecting 6-BA in more vegetables., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A state-of-the-art, ultrasensitive, paper-based SERS sensor has been developed using silver nanostars (AgNSs) in combination with synthetic and natural antibodies. A key component of this innovative sensor is the plastic antibody, which was synthesized using molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) technology. This ground-breaking combination of paper substrates/MIPs with AgNSs, which is similar to a sandwich immunoassay, is used for the first time with the aim of SERS detection and specifically targets nucleolin (NCL), a cancer biomarker. The sensor device was carefully fabricated by synthesizing a polyacrylamide-based MIP on cellulose paper (Whatman Grade 1 filter) by photopolymerization. The binding of NCL to the MIP was then confirmed by natural antibody binding using a sandwich assay for quantitative SERS analysis. To facilitate the detection of NCL, antibodies were pre-bound to AgNSs with a Raman tag so that the SERS signal could indicate the presence of NCL. The composition of the sensory layers/materials was meticulously optimized. The intensity of the Raman signal at ∼1078 cm -1 showed a linear trend that correlated with increasing concentrations of NCL, ranging from 0.1 to 1000 nmol L -1 , with a limit of detection down to 0.068 nmol L -1 in human serum. The selectivity of the sensor was confirmed by testing its analytical response in the presence of cystatin C and lysozyme. The paper-based SERS detection system for NCL is characterized by its simplicity, sustainability, high sensitivity and stability and thus embodies essential properties for point-of-care applications. This approach is promising for expansion to other biomarkers in various fields, depending on the availability of synthetic and natural antibodies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Chlorogenic acid, a phenolic compound, is prevalent across various plant species and has been known for its pharmacological advantages. Health care experts have identified chlorogenic acid as a potential biomarker for treatment of a wide range of illnesses. Therefore, achieving efficient extraction and analysis of chlorogenic acid from plants and their products has become essential. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are highly effective adsorbent for the extraction of chlorogenic acid from complex matrices. Currently, there is a lack of comprehensive review article that consolidate the methods utilized for the purification of chlorogenic acid through molecular imprinting. In this context, we have surveyed the common approaches employed in preparing MIPs specifically designed for the analysis of chlorogenic acid, including both conventional and newly developed. This review discusses the advantages, limitations of polymerization techniques and proposed strategies to produce more efficient MIPs for chlorogenic acid enrichment in complex samples. Additionaly, we present advanced imprinting methods for designing MIPs, which improve the adsorption capacity, sensitivity and selectivity towards chlorogenic acid., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The present study aimed to strategically design a Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (MIP) with selective extraction capabilities for volatile compounds found in pork. These specific volatile compounds, such as 3-methyl-1-butanol, 1-nonanal, octanal, hexanal, 2-pentyl-furan, 1-penten-3-one, N-morpholinomethyl-isopropyl-sulfide, methyl butyrate, and (E,E)-2,4-decadienal, are primarily responsible for the distinctive aroma and flavor characteristics associated with pork. Molecular dynamics simulations were employed to investigate the stability of the pre-polymerization system, simulating the interactions between the volatile compounds as templates, 4-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) as monomers, and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as crosslinkers. Computational simulations revealed that the optimal mole ratio of 1:4:20 for templates, monomers, and crosslinkers resulted in the most favorable functional radial distribution and exhibited the strongest interactions. To validate the computational findings, additional analyses were performed utilizing Molecular Mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann Surface Area (MM-PBSA), radial distribution function (RDF), and hydrogen bond (HBond) occupancy. The calculated binding free energy demonstrated that all template molecules were capable to bind with both the monomers and crosslinkers, including 1-penten-3-one and N-morpholinomethyl-isopropyl-sulfide displaying the strongest interactions, with values of -12,674 kJ/mol and -11,646 kJ/mol, respectively. The congruence between the results obtained from the molecular simulation analyses highlights the crucial role of molecular dynamics simulations in the study and development of MIP for the analysis of marker compounds present in pork.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

In this research paper, a novel "signal on-off" ratiometric-based electrochemical platform was developed for the sensitive and selective detection of captopril. Ratiometric responses were achieved by fabricating molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) on the surface of a graphite electrode (GE) decorated with nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) co-doped porous carbon and silver nanoparticles (Ag). The MIP layer was formed via electropolymerization of copper coordinated with pyrrole-3-carboxylic acid (functional monomer). Silver nanoparticles (Ag) were incorporated to enhance conductivity and surface area and to serve as an internal reference output. Upon the addition of captopril, there was a decrease in the anodic oxidation current of Ag + at around 0.067 V, coupled with an increase in the oxidation current at 0.54 V (Ag-captopril complex). Under optimized conditions, the electrochemical responses ( I Ag-captopril / I Ag ) increased linearly with increasing captopril concentration in the range of 1-450 nM, with a detection limit (S/N = 3) of 0.3 nM. The ratiometric-based MIP electrochemical platform (Cu-MIP/NS-PC@Ag/GE) was successfully applied to detect captopril in complex matrices such as tablets, serum, and urine samples. This platform holds promise for sensitive and selective detection of captopril in various practical applications.

Precisely detecting trace pesticides and their residues in food products is crucial for ensuring food safety. Herein, a high-performance electrochemical sensing platform was developed for the detection of carbendazim (CBZ) using Co,N co-doped hollow carbon nanocage@carbon nanotubes (Co,N-HC@CNTs) obtained from core-shell ZIF-8@ZIF-67 combined with a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP). The Co,N-HC@CNTs exhibited excellent electrocatalytic performance, benefitting from the synergistic effect of CNTs that provide a large specific surface area and excellent electrical conductivity, Co,N co-doped carbon nanocages that offer high electrocatalytic activity and hollow nanocage structures that ensure rapid diffusion kinetics. The conductive PEDOT-MIP provided specific binding sites for CBZ detection and significantly amplified the detection signal. The sensor showed superior selectivity for CBZ with an extremely low detection limit of 1.67 pmol L -1 . Moreover, the method was successfully applied to detect CBZ in tomato, orange and apple samples, achieving satisfactory recovery and accuracy, thus demonstrating its practical feasibility., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Developing an efficient method for screening Ochratoxin A (OTA) in agriculture products is vital to ensure food safety and human health. However, the complex food matrix seriously affects the sensitivity and accuracy. To address this issue, we designed a novel molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) electrochemical sensor based on multiwalled carbon nanotube-modified niobium carbide (Nb 2 C-MWCNTs) with the aid of the density functional theory (DFT). In this design, a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was first modified by Nb 2 C-MWCNTs heterostructure. Afterward, the MIP layer was prepared, with ortho-toluidine as a functional monomer selected via DFT and OTA acting as a template on the surface of Nb 2 C-MWCNTs/GCE using in-situ electropolymerization. Electrochemical tests and physical characterization revealed that Nb 2 C-MWCNTs improved the sensor's active surface area and electron transmission capacity. Nb 2 C-MWCNTs had a good synergistic effect on MIP, endowing the sensor with high sensitivity and specific recognition of OTA in complex food matrix systems. The MIP sensor showed a wide linear range from 0.04 to 10.0 μM with a limit of detection (LOD) of 3.6 nM. Moreover, it presented good repeatability and stability for its highly antifouling effect on OTA. In real sample analysis, the recoveries, ranging from 89.77% to 103.70%, agreed well with the results obtained by HPLC methods, suggesting the sensor has good accuracy and high potential in practical applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing Interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare that are relevant to the content of this article., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A highly sensitive molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescence (MIECL) sensor was developed for detecting rifampicin (RIF) based on luminol@Co-MOF. Co-MOF had a significant enhancement of ECL signaling in the luminol-O 2 system. Molecular imprinted polymers (MIPs) with the introduction of RIF provide new properties for the specific recognition of RIF. A noteworthy decrease in ECL intensity was observed with higher concentrations of RIF. Consequently, the ECL signal was controlled by RIF elution from and adsorption by the MIP, thus establishing a new method for RIF detection. Under optimal conditions, this sensor exhibited linear detection ranges of RIF between 1.0 × 10 -11  mol L -1 and 1.0 × 10 -6  mol L -1 , with a detection limit of 3.3 × 10 -12  mol L -1 (S/N = 3). The recoveries ranged between 98.1 and 106.0% in fish samples. This method can be used as a sensitive and rapid method to detect RIF in real samples., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

A novel voltammetric sensor designed for dopamine (DA) detection is presented utilizing a combination of zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-67) derived cobalt and nitrogen-doped carbon on reduced graphene oxide (Co-N-C/rGO). ZIF-67 cubic crystals were synthesized in situ and deposited onto the graphene oxide (GO) surface through room-temperature reactions. High-temperature calcination resulted in partially collapsed cubic and spherical carbon, while simultaneously reducing GO to rGO. A molecular imprinting resorcinol polymer (MIP) membrane was also in situ applied to the Co-N-C/rGO/glassy carbon electrode (GCE) via electropolymerization. Analyses using cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance, and pulse voltammetry reveal that the modified MIP/Co-N-C/rGO/GCE electrodes show improved electroconductivity and notable electrochemical reactivity towards dopamine. After optimizing detection parameters, the sensor demonstrates a wide linear detection range of 0.01-0.5 and 0.5-100 μmol/L, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 3.33 nmol/L (S/N = 3). Additionally, the sensor displays strong robustness, including excellent selectivity, significant resistance to interference, and long-term stability. It also shows satisfactory recovery in detecting spiked real samples., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

Polyaniline (PANI)-based molecularly imprinted polymers were investigated for their efficacy in sensing phenylalanine (Phe) when fabricated on both glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and indium tin oxide (ITO) sheets. This study highlights the superior performance of PANI-MIP/ITO over PANI-MIP/GCE for sensing Phe, with clear and distinct redox responses. Molecular computation helps to understand the interaction mechanism between PANI and Phe, where molecular crowding, aggregated clusters, hydrogen bonding, and π-π stacking facilitate stable interactions. We tested the specificity of Phe sensing by PANI-MIP with different amino acids such as cysteine, tryptophan, and tyrosine as well as organic molecules such as ascorbic acid, allantoin, sucrose, and urea, confirming its remarkable electrochemical efficiency. The oxidation response curve yielded a limit of detection of 4.88 μM and a limit of quantification of 16.3 μM, comparable to or better than earlier reported sensors. This work demonstrates the promise of MIP-based electrochemical sensing. It also lays the groundwork for future investigations into optimizing PANI-MIPs with nanocomposites to develop more selective and stable sensors.

Monitoring the concentration of antibiotics rapidly and cost-effectively is crucial for accurate clinical medication and timely identification of drug-induced illnesses. Here, we constructed a novel fluorescent assay kit to monitor Zavicefta, an effective antibiotic composed of avibactam (AVI) and ceftazidime (CFZ) to treat carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria infections. AVI can emit fluorescence, but CFZ cannot. To enable simultaneous measurement of both in one kit, we designed molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) modified quantum dots (QDs) for CFZ determination. MIPs have received significant attention as an artificial antibody due to their exceptional specificity for various targets, particularly drugs with small molecular weight. Under the excitation wavelength of 350 nm, the detection process involves a decrease in QDs' fluorescence signal at 600 nm owing to the "gate effect" between MIP and CFZ and the internal filtration effect between CFZ and QDs. Simultaneously, a fluorescence emission characteristic peak at 420 nm for AVI emerges. In addition, to simplify the operation procedure and improve determination throughput, the detection agents were incorporated into a hydrogel and placed in a 96-well plate, enabling concurrent quantification of AVI and CFZ within the respective range of 80-1000 μM and 1-1000 μM. The developed assay kit successfully determined AVI and CFZ in human serums and therapeutic drug monitoring in a live rabbit model. Recoveries of AVI and CFZ were 92.7-114%, with relative standard deviations below 6.0%. Moreover, a smartphone was employed to read the fluorescence signals, which was beneficial for cost reduction and out-of-lab analysis. This study will deliver a pragmatic resolution to developing high-throughput assay kits for drug determination., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP) have been widely owing to their specificity, however, their singular structure imposes limitations on their performance. Current enhancement methods, such as doping with inorganic nanomaterials or introducing various functional monomers, are limited and single, indicating that MIP performances require further advancement. In this work, a dual-modification approach that integrates both conductive inorganic nanomaterials and diverse bifunctional monomers was proposed to develop a multifunctional MIP-based electrochemical (MMIP-EC) sensor for diuron (DU) detection. The MMIP was synthesized through a one-step electrochemical copolymerization of silver nanowires (AgNWs), o-phenylenediamine (O-PD), and 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT). DU molecules could conduct fluent electron transfer within the MMIP layer through the interaction between anchored AgNWs and bifunctional monomers, and the abundant recognition sites and complementary cavity shapes ensured that the imprinted cavities exhibit high specificity. The current intensity amplified by the two modification strategies of MMIP (3.7 times) was significantly higher than the sum of their individual values (3.2 times), exerting a synergistic effect. Furthermore, the adsorption performance of the MMIP was characterized by examining the kinetics and isotherms of the adsorption process. Under optimal conditions, the MMIP-EC sensor exhibits a wide linear range (0.2 ng/mL to 10 μg/mL) for DU detection, with a low detection limit of 89 pg/mL and excellent selectivity (an imprinted factor of 10.4). In summary, the present study affords innovative perspectives for the fabrication of MIP-EC sensor with superior analytical performance., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We declare that we have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) based microfiber differential demodulation sensing system for sodium benzoate (SB) concentration detection is proposed. The specific binding of MIP on the surface of microfibers with SB can lead to changes in local refractive index (RI). RI change induces a drift in the interference wavelength, which can be monitored by the power difference between two fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs). The sensing system can detect SB in the concentration range of 0.1-50 μg/ml, and interference wavelength and FBG power difference sensitivities are 0.55 nm/(μg/ml) and 2.64 dB/(μg/ml) in the low concentration range of 0.1-1 μg/ml, respectively, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.1 μg/ml. This microfiber differential demodulation sensing system is not only simple to fabricate, but also simplifies the demodulation equipment to reduce the cost, which providing a simple, reliable and low-cost technique for the quantitative detection of SB concentration in beverages and flavoured foods., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A simple method for highly selective and sensitive prostate-specific antigen (PSA) detection using a molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor is presented. The sensor was developed through an epitope imprinted strategy combined with electrochemical measurement techniques. An epitope molecularly imprinted polymer (EMIP) film was constructed on a AuNPs-coated gold electrode surface through electropolymerization, utilizing the C-terminus epitope of PSA (KWIKDTIVANP) as the template molecular and o-phenylenediamine as the functional monomer. The characteristics of EMIP film were investigated by using a scanning electron microscope and electrochemical test methods, including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. Key parameters such as electropolymerization cycles, elution and rebinding times, and the molar ratio of template molecular to functional monomer were systematically optimized. The sensor demonstrated a detection limit (LOD) of 0.31 fg/mL and exhibited an excellent linear response towards PSA concentration ranging from 1.0 fg/mL to 0.1 µg/mL. Furthermore, the EMIP sensor showed excellent selectivity against other biological macromolecules, such as bovine serum albumin, human serum albumin, alpha-fetoprotein, and carcinoembryonic antigen. With recoveries between 95.89 and 106.04% for PSA detection in human serums the EMIP/AuNPs/AuE electrochemical sensor showed great potential in real sample analysis., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

The present study elucidates the effectiveness of a molecularly imprinted polyacrylonitrile-imbued graphite-base electrode (MAN@G) for the selective detection of folic acid (FA) in food samples. The prime objective of the recognition and quantification of vitamin compounds like FA is the overall quality assessment of vegetables and fruits. The cost-effective, reproducible, and durable MAN@G electrode has been fabricated using acrylonitrile (AN) as the monomer and FA as the template over graphite-base. The characterization of the synthesized MAN@G electrode material has been accomplished by utilizing UV-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A tri-electrode system based on differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) techniques was employed to explore the analytical performance of the synthesized electrode. Rigorous analyses divulged that a widespread linearity window could be exhibited by the electrode under an optimized experimental environment, ranging from 20 μM to 400 μM concentrations with an acceptable lower limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of 18 nM, and 60 nM respectively. Additionally, this electrode exhibits high reproducibility, good stability, and high repeatability, with RSD values of 1.72 %, 1.32 %, and 1.19 %, respectively. The detection efficacy of the proposed electrode has been further examined in food extracts, namely orange, spinach, papaya, soybean, and cooked rice, which endorsed high accuracy compared to the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. Moreover, the statistical results obtained from the t-test analysis were also satisfactory for the FA concentrations present in those five samples., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no financial or competitive interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The misuse of chloramphenicol (CAP) has jeopardized environmental safety. It is critical to create an effective and sensitive CAP detection technique. In this paper, a composite of chitosan (CS)-derived carbon material modified hollow spherical hydroxylated poly(3,4-propylenedioxythiophene) (PProDOT-2CH 2 OH) was designed, which innovatively used o-phenylenediamine and p-aminobenzoic acid as bi-functional monomers to prepare molecular imprinting polymer (MIP) sensors for highly sensitive analysis and determination of CAP. It was found that the hollow spherical structure of PProDOT-2CH 2 OH significantly enhanced the rapid electron migration. When combined with the CS-derived carbon material, which has multi-functional sites, it improved the electrical activity and stability of the sensor. It also provided more active centers for the MIP layer to specifically recognize CAP. Therefore, this MIP sensor had a wide linear response (0.0001 ∼ 125 μM), a low limit of detection (LOD, 6.6 pM), excellent selectivity and stability. In addition, studies showed that the sensor has potential practical value. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: Chloramphenicol (CAP) is one of the most widely used antibiotics with the highest dosage due to its low price and broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties. Due to its incomplete metabolism in living organisms and its difficulty in degrading in the environment, contamination caused by it can pose a threat to public health. In this study, a novel molecularly imprinted sensor (MIP/PC2C1/GCE) was designed to provide a new idea for rapid and precise removal of CAP by adsorption. The detection of CAP in pharmaceutical, water quality, and food fields was realized., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Among biomimetic strategies shaping engineering designs, molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) technology stands out, involving chemically synthesised receptors emulating natural antigen-antibody interactions. These versatile 'designer polymers' with remarkable stability and low cost, are pivotal for in vitro diagnostics. Amid the recent global health crisis, we probed MIPs' potential to capture SARS-CoV-2 virions. Large biotemplates complicate MIP design, influencing generated binding site specificity. To precisely structure recognition sites within polymers, we innovated an epitope imprinting method supplemented by in silico polymerization component screening. A viral surface Spike protein informed epitope selection was targeted for MIP development. A novel multi-monomer docking approach (MMSD) was employed to simulate classical receptor-ligand interactions, mimicking binding reinforcement across multiple amino acids. Around 40 monomer combinations were docked to the epitope sequence and top performers experimentally validated via rapid fluorescence binding assays. Notably, high imprinting factor polymers correlated with MMSD predictions, promising rational MIP design applicable to diverse viral pathologies., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have garnered the interest of researchers in the drug delivery due to their advantages, such as exceptional durability, stability, and selectivity. In this study, a biocompatible MIP drug adsorption and delivery system with high loading capacity and controlled release, was prepared based on chitosan (CS) and graphene quantum dots (GQDs) as the matrix, and the anticancer drug oxaliplatin (OXAL) as the template. Additionally, samples without the drug (non-imprinted polymers, NIPs) were created for comparison. GQDs were produced using the hydrothermal method, and samples underwent characterization through FTIR, XRD, FESEM, and TGA. Various experiments were conducted to determine the optimal pH for drug adsorption, along with kinetic and isotherm studies, selectivity assessments, in vitro drug release and kinetic evaluations. The highest drug binding capacity was observed at pH 6.5. The results indicated the Lagergren-first-order kinetic model (with rate constant of 0.038 min -1 ) and the Langmuir isotherm (with maximum adsorption capacity of 17.15 mg g -1 ) exhibited better alignment with the experimental data. The developed MIPs displayed significant selectivity towards OXAL, by an imprinting factor of 2.88, in comparison to two similar drugs (cisplatin and carboplatin). Furthermore, the analysis of the drug release profile showed a burst release for CS-Drug (87% within 3 h) at pH 7.4, where the release from the CS-GQD-Drug did not occur at pH 7.4 and 10; instead, the release was observed at pH 1.2 in a controlled manner (100% within 28 h). Consequently, this specific OXAL adsorption and delivery system holds promise for cancer treatment.

This study aims to synthesize a core-shell gelatin-based carbon quantum dot-molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP@g-CQD) via the precipitation free-radical polymerization process using methotrexate (MTX) as a model anticancer template. To investigate the efficiency of the prepared photoluminescent MIP@g-CQD as a pH-responsive nano-carrier, MTX was loaded into MIP@g-CQD by soaking in a drug solution and the release behavior of the loaded drug was evaluated in the necessary pH values (7.4, 5). The successful synthesis of materials was characterized using PL, TEM, FE-SEM, DLS, and FT-IR analyses. Interestingly, the created cavities in the core-shell nano-carriers can interact with the MTX molecules effectively, leading to an increase in the loading capacity. According to the obtained results from Langmuir adsorption isotherms, the imprinting factor was calculated (IF = 4.91). Also, the binding kinetics of MTX revealed the creation of particular recognition sites in the core-shell polymeric network. The MTX-loaded MIP@g-CQD displayed a low rate and limited release at the simulated physiological environment (pH 7.4, 37 °C), but it is increased at tumor tissue (pH 5, 41 °C) conditions, which can lead to long-term and sustained release of MTX in the desired target. This property of MIP@g-CQD could avoid the release of MTX in normal physiological conditions, decreasing the possible side effects of MTX drug. Owing to the existence of amide functional groups in the nano-carrier structure and its negatively charged nature, the MTT assay displayed desirable cytotoxicity against the breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) for the MTX-loaded nano-carrier. According to the obtained results, the prepared safe photoluminescent MIP@g-CQD with appropriate pH-responsivity has a high ability to be applied as an anticancer and bio-detection agent., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A new di-recognition nitrogen-doped carbon dot nanosurface aptamer molecularly imprinted polymer (CD NAg @MIPApt) nanocatalytic di-functional probe was prepared by microwave irradiation. The probe was utilized nitrogen-doped silver carbon dots (CD NAg ) as the matrix, glyphosate (Gly) as the template molecule, α-methyl acrylate as the monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the cross-linker, and aptamer as the biorecognition element. It could not only recognize Gly but also exhibits catalytic amplification function. It was found that CD NAg @MIPApt catalyzed the redox reaction of polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400)-AgNO 3 to generate silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The AgNPs indicator component exhibit the effects of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), resonance Rayleigh scattering (RRS) and surface plasmon resonance absorption (Abs). In the presence of Gly, it binds to the surface imprinted site of CD NAg @MIPApt, to reduce AgNPs generation due to the catalytic activity of CD NAg @MIPApt decreasing. Thus, the SERS/RRS/Abs signal values decreased linearly. The linear ranges of SERS/RRS/Abs assay were 0.1-2.5 nM, 0.25-2.75 nM and 0.5-5 nM respectively. The detection limits were 0.034 nM, 0.071 nM and 0.18 nM Gly., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Authors declare that they have no financial or personal conflicts of interest related to this research. We guarantee that this research is original and has not been published or submitted for publication elsewhere., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Monitoring bovine serum albumin (BSA) at ultra-low levels is crucial for clinical and food safety applications, as it plays a significant role in identifying various health conditions and potential risks, necessitating fast, trace-level detection of BSA. This study proposes an approach to address these challenges by employing molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) to develop an ultra-trace-level and cost-effective BSA sensing platform. The MIP electrochemical sensor was developed using polyaniline (PANI) combined with the protein crosslinker glutaraldehyde (GA) to optimize BSA surface imprinting in the MIP. As a result, the sensor achieves a sensitivity of 1.24 μA/log(pg/mL), with a picomolar detectable limit of 2.3 pg/mL (0.035 pM) and a wide detection range from 20 pg/mL to 200,000 pg/mL (0.303 pM to 3030 pM), making it suitable for clinical and food safety applications. Additionally, the study explores the interaction between an acidic surfactant protein eluent (acetic acid with sodium dodecyl sulfate, AcOH-SDS) and BSA vacant sites, enhancing recognition and re-binding. The PANI-based MIP sensor demonstrates initial feasibility and practicality in commercial milk and real human serum, opening avenues for early disease detection and ensuring food safety in BSA-related immune responses., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Efficiently utilization of plant resources is heavily restricted by the resistance of lignocellulose in plant cells, which is related to the interlinkages of lignocellulose components. Hemicellulose in plant cell wall is bound to cellulose by hydrogen bond and linked with lignin in lignin-carbohydrate complex (LCC). In the xylan chain of hemicellulose, glucuronic acid (GA) is a typical side-group, which provides clues for us to label and locate hemicellulose. The way to label GA on the surface of pulp fibers obtained from pulping process is benefit to explore the deconstruction of lignocellulose. Herein, a new visualization method, fluorescence modified molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP) were applied to recognize and locate GA on the pulp fiber surface. The method combining fluorescence imaging and integrated 3D fiber structure verified the feasibility of the MIP for specific GA recognition. The results showed that xylan (represented by GA) was closely attached to lignin, distributed along the inner wall of pulp fiber cells, and gradually taken off from the inside edge of fiber cells with the deconstruction of lignocellulose. This research provided a basis to develop visualization bioimaging technology to identify biomass components., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Alkylresorcinols are important biomarkers for evaluating whole wheat foods. However, their structures encompass a broad spectrum of homologs, making isolating and analyzing individual alkylresorcinol notably challenging. Herein, we synthesized highly selective molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) utilizing a facile and cost-effective precipitation polymerization method and 5-heneicosylresorcinol (AR C21:0 ) as the template molecule. Various crucial preparation parameters were systematically optimized, such as different porogens, functional monomers, imprinting ratios, and polymerization time. The polymers were characterized through scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and their adsorption performances were thoroughly evaluated. MIPs exhibited a notably enhanced adsorption capacity compared with that of non-imprinted polymers, reaching an optimal adsorption amount of 71.75 mg·mL -1 and imprinting factor of 2.02. Altogether, the synthesized MIPs showed superior affinity and selectivity for AR C21:0 , as confirmed by their selective extraction, suggesting their potential applications in the analysis, separation, and monitoring of AR C21:0 in whole wheat foods., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Impaired expression of GABA transporters (GATs) is closely related to the pathogenesis of among others Parkinson's disease and epilepsy. As such, lipophilic nipecotic acid analogs have been extensively studied as GAT1-addressing drugs and radioligands but suffer from limited brain uptake due to the zwitterionic properties of the nipecotic acid moiety. Bioisosteric replacement of the carboxylic acid group is a promising strategy to improve the brain uptake, though it requires knowledge on the binding of these isosteres to GAT1. To screen nipecotic acid isosteres for their affinity to GAT1 in a time- and cost-effective manner, this research aims to develop a molecular imprinted polymer (MIP) that mimics the natural binding site of GAT1 and can act as an alternative screening tool to the current radiometric and mass spectrometry cellular-based assays. To this end, a nipecotic acid MIP was created using the electropolymerization of ortho-phenylenediamine (oPD) by cyclic voltammetry (CV). The optimization of the generated receptor layer was achieved by varying the scan rate (50-250 mV/s) and number of CV cycles (5-12), yielding an optimized MIP with an average imprinting factor of 2.6, a linear range of 1-1000 nm, and a theoretical LOD of 0.05 nm, as analyzed by electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Selectivity studies facilitated the investigation of major binding interactions between the MIP and the substrate, building an experimental model that compares characteristics of various analogs. Results from this model indicate that the substrate carboxylic acid group plays a more important role in binding than an amine group, after comparing the binding of cyclohexanecarboxylic acid (average IF of 1.7) and piperidine (average IF of 0.46). The research culminates in a discussion regarding the feasibility of the in vitro model, comparing the synthetic system against the biological performance of GAT1. Thus, evaluating if it is possible to generate a synthetic GAT1 mimic, and if so, provide directions for follow-up research., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The demand for plant-based protein sources in the food industry has significantly increased in recent years, leading to the introduction of legume-based products as meat substitutes. However, concerns regarding food quality have emerged, particularly related to the presence of mycotoxins. This study addresses the need for the sensitive detection of phomopsins (PHOs), a class of peptide-based toxins. A selective extraction method using molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) coupled with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) was focused on the most toxic Phomopsin A (PHO-A). A rapid ultrasonochemical synthesis of MIP (5 min) was proposed and its performance was optimized in response to various factors, including the choice of dummy template and the selection of the monomer. The methacrylic acid-vinyl pyridine (MAA-VP) MIP exhibited high selectivity and affinity for PHO-A. The method was tested in lupin samples and the validation, according to SANTE/11312/2021 international guidelines, gave excellent recovery (80-90 %), low matrix effects, and high accuracy and precision. Real samples analysis confirmed the presence of PHO-A in artificially fungal inoculated lupins, with levels ranging from 0.377 to 0.576 mg kg -1 . In order to identify further PHOs, a semi-untargeted approach using multiple reaction monitoring-information dependent acquisition-enhanced product ion (MRM-IDA-EPI) was developed. PHO-B, PHO-D, PHO-E and PHO-P, rarely previously reported in lupin matrix, were tentatively identified. This study accounts for the effectiveness of MIP-based extraction coupled with UHPLC-triple quadrupole with linear ionic trap-MS/MS (UHPLC-QqQ-LIT-MS/MS) for quantification of PHO-A and putative detection of other PHOs, offering a promising method for investigating this class of toxins in food., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Although molecular imprinting technology has been widely used in the construction of virus sensors, it is still a great challenge to identify subtypes viruses specifically because of their high similarity in morphology, size and structure. Here, a monoclonal molecular imprinted polymers (MIPs) sensor for recognition of H5N1 is constructed to permit the accurate distinguishing of H5N1 from other influenza A virus (IAV) subtypes. Firstly, H5N1 are immobilized on magnetic microspheres to produce H5N1-MagNPs, then the high affinity nanogel H5N1-MIPs is prepared by solid phase imprinting technique. When H5N1-MIPs is combined with MagNP-H5N1, different concentrations of H5N1 are added for competitive substitution. The quantitative detection of H5N1 is realized by the change of fluorescence intensity of supernatant. As expected, the constructed sensor shows satisfactory selectivity, and can identify the target virus from highly similar IAV subtypes, such as H1N1, H7N9 and H9N2. The sensor was highly sensitive, with a detection limit of 0.58 fM, and a selectivity factor that is comparable to that of other small MIPs sensors is achieved. In addition, the proposed sensor is cheap, with a cost of only RMB 0.08 yuan. The proposed monoclonal sensor provides a new method for the specific recognition of designated virus subtype, which is expected to be used for large-scale screening and accurate treatment of infected people., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)