A portable slide based MIPs-FL sensor was fabricated for potential on-site detection

Lactoferrin (Lf) is one of the important nutrients in milk, and its detection is crucial for dairy and breeding industry. However, the high cost, complex operation and dependence on advanced instruments limited its detection in small and medium-sized pastures. Thus, a detection device as a portable slide based MIPs-FL sensor was fabricated by preparing MIPs on the surface of ZnO nanoflowers functionalized slide, and it could be directly used in milk without any pre-treatments. The prepared detection device showed a high selectivity towards Lf with an imprinting factor of 9.05 and a binding affinity of 356.34 mL/g. Correspondingly, an on-line detection method for Lf was established with good linear relationship (r > 0.9680) in the range of 0.0625 mg/mL-1.00 mg/mL, and the value of LOD and LOQ were 0.0207 mg/mL and 0.0690 mg/mL, respectively. This convenient method was successfully applied in ten milk samples, and showed application potential in on-situ detection.