Creatinine sensor based on a molecularly imprinted polymer-modified hanging mercury drop electrode

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) function as artificial receptors for molecular recognition.
• Chemical sensors require selective molecular recognition elements for accurate detection.
• Creatinine detection is crucial for diagnosing kidney function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a selective and sensitive creatinine sensor using MIPs.
• To investigate the performance of a MIP-based sensor for creatinine detection in human blood serum.
• To establish a rapid and simple method for creatinine determination.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a creatinine sensor by drop coating a MIP onto a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE).
• Utilizing differential pulse cathodic stripping voltammetry (DPCSV) for creatinine detection.
• Pre-concentration and oxidation of creatinine within the MIP layer on the modified HMDE.

Main Results:

• The MIP-based sensor showed a wide linear response range for creatinine (0.0025–84.0 μg/mL) with a low detection limit (1.49 ng/mL).
• The sensor exhibited high selectivity for creatinine, with no response to common interferents like urea, glucose, and amino acids.
• A high imprinting factor (9.4) confirmed the MIP's exclusive role as a recognition element.

Conclusions:

• The developed MIP-based sensor is highly selective and sensitive for creatinine detection.
• This sensor offers an accurate, rapid, and simple method for determining creatinine in human blood serum without sample pretreatment.
• MIPs are effective artificial receptors for developing advanced chemical sensors.