A nitrocellulose paper strip for fluorometric determination of bisphenol A using molecularly imprinted nanoparticles

The authors describe a test stripe for fluorometric determination of the endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA). Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) were immobilized on molecularly imprinted nanoparticles which then were placed on nitrocellulose paper. The GQDs display blue fluorescence (with excitation/emission peaks at 350/440 nm) which is reduced in the presence of BPA. The test stripe has a 43.9 ± 0.8 μg·L^-1 limit of detection in case of water samples. The stripe was applied to the determination of BPA in (spiked) tap water and sea water, and the LODs were found to be 1.8 ± 0.2 μg·L^-1 and 4.2 ± 0.5 μg·L^-1, respectively. Structural analogs of BPA, such as aminophenol, phenol, hydroquinone and naphthol were found not to interfere. Graphical abstract Schematic presentation of graphene quantum dots immobilized on molecularly imprinted nanoparticles placed on nitrocellulose paper for the determination of Bisphenol A in tap water and seawater. The method is based on the fluorescence quenching due to binding of targets in specific recognition sites.