Green MIP-Based Electrochemical Sensing Platform for Environmental Ivermectin Analysis.

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry

Background:

• Ivermectin (IVM) is a critical drug requiring precise quantification for therapeutic efficacy and safety.
• Existing methods for IVM detection may lack the sensitivity, selectivity, or practicality needed for diverse applications.
• Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (MIP) technology offers a promising route for creating selective recognition materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and fabricate a novel electrochemical sensor for the selective and sensitive detection of Ivermectin (IVM).
• To utilize molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) technology via electropolymerization for IVM determination.
• To evaluate the sensor's performance in various matrices and assess its adherence to green analytical chemistry principles.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) sensor on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) using electropolymerization of methacrylic acid (MAA) and aniline.
• Characterization using cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), FTIR, and SEM.
• Electrochemical detection via an indirect redox-probe approach using [Fe-(CN)₆]^3-/^4-.

Main Results:

• The developed MAA-IVM@MIP/GCE sensor exhibited a wide linear range (1 × 10^-12 -1 × 10^-11 M) and very low limits of detection (LOD: 2.91 × 10^-13 M) and quantification (LOQ: 9.71 × 10^-13 M).
• The sensor demonstrated high sensitivity, reproducibility, and selectivity, with minimal interference from matrix components in pharmaceutical, biological, and environmental samples.
• Density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirmed optimal template-monomer interactions, supporting the experimental findings.

Conclusions:

• The novel electropolymerization-based MIP sensor provides a robust, sensitive, and selective platform for Ivermectin quantification.
• The sensor's applicability across diverse matrices and its adherence to green chemistry principles highlight its practical utility.
• This cost-effective and environmentally conscious sensor holds significant potential for clinical diagnostics, pharmacokinetic studies, and pharmaceutical quality control.