Molecularly imprinted polymer integrated plasmonic nanosensor for cocaine detection.

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Cocaine detection is crucial for forensic laboratories.
• Existing methods may lack speed, accuracy, or precision.
• Development of sensitive and specific detection platforms is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a molecularly imprinted polymeric nanofilm for cocaine detection.
• To integrate this nanofilm with a plasmonic nanosensor for real-time analysis.
• To evaluate the sensor's kinetic, selectivity, and reusability performance.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a selective and specific nanofilm on a gold plasmonic nanosensor.
• Characterization using atomic force microscopy, ellipsometry, and contact angle measurements.
• Kinetic studies of cocaine detection in aqueous solutions (0.2–100 μg/mL) at 24°C.

Main Results:

• Achieved a low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.1 μg/L.
• Determined a low limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.3 μg/L.
• Demonstrated a model for fast, accurate, and precise cocaine identification.

Conclusions:

• The molecularly imprinted polymeric nanofilm integrated plasmonic nanosensor is highly effective for cocaine detection.
• This system provides a significant advancement for forensic laboratory workloads.
• The sensor shows promise for real-time, high-precision drug analysis.