Voltammetric sensor for vanillylmandelic acid based on molecularly imprinted polymer-modified electrodes

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry

Background:

• Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) offer great potential for selective molecular recognition in analytical chemistry.
• Developing robust and selective biomimetic sensors for specific analytes like vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) remains a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a novel voltammetric sensor for vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) detection.
• To investigate the selectivity and sensitivity of MIP-modified electrodes for VMA analysis.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of MIP-modified glassy carbon electrodes via spin coating and photopolymerization.
• Electrochemical characterization using cyclic voltammetry.
• Evaluation of sensor performance including linearity, selectivity, and sensitivity for VMA.

Main Results:

• The developed MIP-based voltammetric sensor exhibited a linear response to VMA concentration in the range of 19-350 µg/mL.
• The sensor demonstrated high selectivity, effectively differentiating VMA from structurally related compounds.
• The MIP sensor showed significantly higher sensitivity compared to control electrodes.

Conclusions:

• MIP-modified electrodes are a promising platform for creating highly selective and sensitive voltammetric sensors.
• The developed sensor is a viable analytical tool for the detection of vanillylmandelic acid.
• The specific binding sites within the MIP layer are crucial for effective VMA recognition.