An ultraviolet self-initiated polymerized platform for specific recognition and elimination of caffeic acid based on the molecular imprinting technology.

The use of molecular imprinting technology (MIT) to achieve specific recognition of target analytes is burgeoning research in the field of sensing. Herein, a UV self-initiated polymerized platform based on Au and TiO 2 co-functionalized fluorescent lanthanum metal-organic framework (La-MOF) has been first fabricated for the specific recognition and elimination of caffeic acid (CA). Impressively, the synthesis of the molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) needs no foreign initiator because the polymerization is initiated by hydroxyl radicals (•OH) photogenerated by TiO 2 under UV light, which is more environmentally friendly and more efficient than traditional MIT. More importantly, La-MOF can emit fluorescence to assist photocatalysis of TiO 2 under UV light while Au NPs can decompose the hydrogen peroxide photogenerated by TiO 2 to produce •OH to initiate the polymerization. As a result, with the aid of unique MIPs, the pre-fabricated sensor is utilized for the specific determination of CA by ultraviolet and visible spectrophotometry with the detecting range of 1–150 μM and a low limit of detection of 0.15 μM. Meanwhile, the determinations for CA in real environmental water samples have also been performed with good recoveries, revealing the auspicious application potential in environmental monitoring. A UV self-initiated polymerized platform is fabricated without any foreign initiators by molecular imprinting technology to simultaneously achieve the specific recognition and elimination of caffeic acid in solution under UV light. [Display omitted] • A UV self-initiated polymerized platform is fabricated to synthesize MIPs under UV light. • The synthesis of MIPs needs no foreign initiators and produces no environmental pollution. • The sensing probe based on the TiO 2 @La-MOF@Au is about 10.32 times that of TiO 2. • La-MOF can produce fluorescence to assist the photolysis of water under UV light. • Au is used as the peroxidase enzyme to decompose H 2 O 2 to produce •OH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]