Tailored chemosensors for chloroaromatic acids using molecular imprinted TiO2 thin films on ion-sensitive field-effect transistors

Molecular imprinting science and technology: a survey of the literature for the years up to and including 2003

Over 1450 references to original papers, reviews and monographs have herein been collected to document the development of molecular imprinting science and technology from the serendipitous discovery of Polyakov in 1931 to recent attempts to implement and understand the principles underlying the technique and its use in a range of application areas. In the presentation of the assembled references, a section presenting reviews and monographs covering the area is followed by papers dealing with fundamental aspects of molecular imprinting and the development of novel polymer formats. Thereafter, literature describing attempts to apply these polymeric materials to a range of application areas is presented.

Effect of thiocyanate counterion condensation on poly(allylamine hydrochloride) chains on the buildup and permeability of polystyrenesulfonate/polyallylamine polyelectrolyte multilayers

In this study, we investigate the buildup of PEI-(PSS-PAH)(n) polyelectrolyte multilayers at pH 7.4 in the presence of either NaCl or NaSCN as a supporting electrolyte. It appears that in the presence of increasing thiocyanate concentrations (from 0.1 to 0.5 M), the thickness increment, obtained from optical waveguide lightmode spectroscopy experiments, increases whereas it stays practically constant for increasing sodium chloride concentrations (between 0.1 and 0.5 M). The hydration of the films differs also markedly between both electrolyte solutions. The differences in the construction of the polyelectrolyte multilayers in the presence of both supporting electrolytes are rationalized in terms of strong SCN(-) condensation on the PAH chains. The occurrence of this ion condensation is indirectly demonstrated by means of zeta potential measurements and directly demonstrated by means of attenuated total internal reflection infrared spectroscopy on the multilayer films. Moreover when the films are built up in the presence of SCN(-), these ions are only slowly exchanged by the Cl(-) ions introduced in the bulk. Conversely the thick films obtained from 0.5 M NaSCN solutions do not deswell when the buffer solution is replaced by a 0.5 M NaCl containing buffer. The permeability of the films constructed in the presence of both sodium salts is also studied by means of cyclic voltametry and is found to be markedly different in the case of films made from five bilayers at 0.5 M salt concentration. This difference is due to the different morphology and porosity of the films constructed in the presence of 0.5 M NaCl and 0.5 M NaSCN.

Loading and Release Behaviors of Compressed Polyelectrolyte Multilayers for Small Dye Molecules

Loading and release behaviors of compressed polyelectrolyte multilayers composed of poly(styrenesulfonate sodium salt) and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) were investigated using fluorescein and rhodamine 6G as indicators by confocal laser scanning microcopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and UV-vis spectroscopy. Compression of the multilayers resulted in a more densely packed microstructure, leading to the decrease of fluorescence intensity of the incorporated probes to 80% of its initial value, and much slower releasing rate as well as smaller releasing amount regardless of the types of the probes and the presence of salt. Utilizing the difference of loading and release rates between the compressed and the uncompressed regions, arrays of dye reservoirs have been fabricated on a chemical homogeneous but physical heterogeneous multilayer film.

A sensitive biosensor for lactate based on layer-by-layer assembling MnO2 nanoparticles and lactate oxidase on ion-sensitive field-effect transistors

A sensitive enzyme-based FET biosensor for lactate has been obtained by introducing MnO2 nanoparticles at the gate surface via a layer-by-layer assembling method.

Molecular imprinting: a dynamic technique for diverse applications in analytical chemistry

Continuous advances in analyzing complex matrices, improving reliability and simplicity, and performing multiple simultaneous assays with extreme sensitivity are increasing. Several techniques have been developed for the quantitative assays of analytes at low concentrations (e.g., high-pressure liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, immunoassay and the polymerase chain reaction technique). To achieve highly specific and sensitive analysis, high affinity, stable, and specific recognition agents are needed. Although biological recognition agents are very specific and sensitive they are labile and/or have a low density of binding sites. During the past decade molecular imprinting has emerged as an attractive and highly accepted tool for the development of artificial recognition agents. Molecular imprinting is achieved by the interaction, either noncovalent or covalent, between complementary groups in a template molecule and functional monomer units through polymerization or polycondensation. These molecularly imprinted polymers have been widely employed for diverse applications (e.g., in chromatographic separation, drug screening, chemosensors, catalysis, immunoassays etc.) owing to their specificity towards the target molecules and high stability against physicochemical perturbations. In this review the advantages, applications, and recent developments in molecular imprinting technology are highlighted.

Protein Adsorption Modalities on Polyelectrolyte Multilayers

Protein adsorption on polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMUs) was evaluated using a combination of synthetic polyelectrolytes and proteins, including serum albumin, fibrinogen, and lysozyme. Variables such as surface and protein charge, polymer hydrophobicity, and hydrophilic repulsion were introduced to probe interaction mechanisms. Quantitative analysis with reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, optical waveguiding, and UV-vis absorption, together with qualitative information from atomic force microscopy, provided a coordinated picture for what drives protein adsorption and how the molecules are disposed on the multilayer surface. It was found that multilayers bearing a particular surface charge sorbed biomolecules if they were of opposite charge, yielding significant loadings within the bulk PEMU. Adsorption of like-charged proteins, as surface aggregates, occurred to a much lower extent, driven by nonelectrostatic forces. A diblock copolymer comprising a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) block was capable of further minimizing protein adsorption as a result of hydrophilic repulsion, although none of the surfaces tested defeated protein adsorption completely. However, poly(acrylic acid) homopolymer was quite effective in this respect. A composition gradient, formed during multilayer buildup, induced a gradient in hydrophilicity through the PEMU, which is an efficient and economical method of creating a protein-resistant surface.

Molecularly Imprinted TiO2-Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry for Selectively Detecting α-Cyclodextrin

This study describes a new means to conduct molecular recognition-based analysis using mass spectrometry. Taking advantage of the unique characteristic of the absorption capacity of the TiO(2) sol-gel material in the UV region, a TiO(2) sol-gel-deposited thin film was employed as the sample substrate to assist in UV laser desorption/ionization of analytes. Sol-gels are polymeric materials that are easy to prepare and modify at low temperatures. Molecularly imprinted TiO(2) sol-gels were generated for molecular recognition-based analysis. alpha-Cyclodextrin (CD) was selected as the template molecule and doped into TiO(2) in a sol-gel reaction. The molecularly imprinted TiO(2) sol was spin-coated on a glass slide, and appropriate template cavities in the TiO(2) sol-gel material were formed after the template molecules were removed. We demonstrate that this modified glass slide can be used to select alpha-CD from a sample solution containing equal amounts of alpha-, beta-, and gamma-CD (50 ppb each, 18 mL); alpha-CD was directly detected from the modified glass slide by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry without the addition of extra matrix. This approach provides a new detection method for molecular recognition-based analysis.

Voltammetric sensor for vanillylmandelic acid based on molecularly imprinted polymer-modified electrodes

Despite the increasing number of applications of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) in analytical chemistry, the construction of a biomimetic voltammetric sensor remains still challenging. This work investigates the development of a voltammetric sensor for vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) based on acrylic MIP-modified electrodes. Thin layers of MIPs for VMA have been prepared by spin coating the surface of a glassy carbon electrode with the monomers mixture (template, methacrylic acid, a cross-linking agent and solvent), followed by in situ photopolymerisation. After extraction of the template molecule, the peak current recorded with the imprinted sensor after rebinding was linear with VMA concentration in the range 19-350 microg ml(-1), whereas the response of the control electrode is independent of incubation concentration, and was about one-tenth of the value recorded with the imprinted sensor at the maximum concentration tested. Under the conditions used, the sensor is able to differentiate between VMA and other closely structural-related compounds, such as 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethylene glycol (not detected), or 3,4- and 2,5-dihydroxyphenilacetic acids, which are adsorbed on the bare electrode surface but not at the polymer layer. Homovanillic acid was detected with the imprinted sensors after incubation, indicating that the presence of both methoxy and carboxylic groups in the same position as in VMA is necessary for effective binding in the imprinted sites. Nevertheless, both species can be differentiated by the oxidation potential. It can be concluded that MIP-based voltammetric electrodes are very promising analytical tool for the development of highly selective analytical sensors.

Analysis of NAD(P)+/NAD(P)H cofactors by imprinted polymer membranes associated with ion-sensitive field-effect transistor devices and Au-quartz crystals

Specific recognition sites for the NAD(P)+ and NAD(P)H cofactors are imprinted in a cross-linked acrylamide-acrylamidophenylboronic acid copolymer membrane. The imprinted membranes, associated with pH-sensitive field-effect transistors (ISFETs) or Au-quartz piezoelectric crystals, enable the potentiometric or microgravimetric analysis of the oxidized NAD(P)+ cofactors and the reduced NAD(P)H cofactors, respectively. The NAD+- and NADP+-imprinted membranes associated with the ISFET allow the analysis of NAD+ and NADP+ with sensitivities that correspond to 15.0 and 18.0 mVdecade(-1) and detection limits of 4 x 10(-7) and 2 x 10(-7) M, respectively. The NADH- and NADPH-imprinted membranes associated with the ISFET device enable the analysis of NADH and NADPH with sensitivities that correspond to 24.2 and 21.8 mV x decade(-1) and lower detection limits that are 1 x 10(-7) and 2 x 10(-7) M, respectively. The ISFET devices functionalized with the NADH and NADPH membranes are employed in the analysis of the biocatalyzed oxidation of lactic acid and ethanol in the presence of lactate dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase, respectively.

Molecularly imprinted materials--receptors more durable than nature can provide

The chapter describes the concept of molecular imprinting. This technology allows the fabrication of artificial polymeric receptors applicable in many areas of biotechnology. Polymers imprinted with selected template molecules can be used as specific recognition elements in sensors or as selective stationary phases in affinity chromatography or in capillary electrochromatography. However, also in solid phase extraction or immunoassays these polymers (MIP) are able to compete with traditional materials such as biological antibodies. Furthermore, polymers molecularly imprinted with so-called transition state analogue templates can be applied as catalysts. In other words, these kind of polymers may be used as artificial antibodies (plastibodies) or biomimicking enzymes (plastizymes). Compared to their biological counterparts, MIP offer different advantages such as simplicity in manufacturing and durability. Thus, the author expects MIP to have a major impact on the whole area of biotechnology.

Imprinting of nucleotide and monosaccharide recognition sites in acrylamidephenylboronic acid-acrylamide copolymer membranes associated with electronic transducers

Molecular recognition sites for the nucleotides adenosine 5'-monophosphate (1), guanosine 5'-monophosphate (2), cytosine 5'-monophosphate (3), and uridine 5'-monophosphate (4) are imprinted in an acrylamide-acrylamidephenylboronic acid copolymer (5) membrane. The imprinted membranes are assembled on piezoelectric Au quartz crystals or Au electrodes via electropolymerization or on the gate surface of an ISFET device by radical polymerization. The imprinted membranes reveal selectivity toward the imprinted nucleotide, and the association of the respective nucleotides with the recognition sites is transduced by the following: (i) microgravimetric, quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements; (ii) Faradaic impedance analyses, and (iii) potentiometric responses of the ISFET devices. While the microgravimetric QCM measurements reflect the swelling of the polymers upon the association of the nucleotides with the recognition sites, the ISFET response is due to the charging of the polymer membrane as a result of the formation of the nucleotide-boronate complex. The selective detection of the nucleotides may lead to new DNA/RNA sequencing methods. Also, specific recognition sites for beta-D(+)-glucose (6), D(+)-galactose (7), and beta-D(-)-fructose (8) were imprinted in an acrylamide-acrylamidephenylboronic acid copolymer (5) membrane associated with an ISFET device. Selective sensing of the respective monosaccharides is accomplished in the presence of the imprinted membrane-functionalized ISFET devices.

Biosensors for marine pollution research, monitoring and control

Measurement of ecological, climatic and anthropogenic changes underpins the formulation of effective management strategies for sustainable use and protection of the marine environment. Sensors are traditionally used in marine studies to determine physical parameters, but there is increasing demand for real-time information about chemical and biological parameters. These parameters are currently measured in samples collected at sea and subsequently analysed in the laboratory. Biosensors fuse the exquisite sensitivity and specificity of living systems with the processing power of microelectronics to deliver simple, inexpensive measurement systems for use in the field or deployment in situ. While their potential for use in the marine environment is enormous, much published work to date has focussed on applications in freshwater and wastewater. Marine applications pose a substantial challenge in the robustness required for remote application, but recent developments in portable medical devices and receptor design suggest that these demands can now be realistically tackled.

Imprinting of chiral molecular recognition sites in thin TiO2 films associated with field-effect transistors: novel functionalized devices for chiroselective and chirospecific analyses

(R)- or (S)-2-Methylferrocene carboxylic acids, (R)-1 or (S)-1, (R)- or (S)-2-phenylbutanoic acid, (R)-2 or (S)-2, and (R)- or (S)-2-propanoic acid, (R)-3 or (S)-3, can be imprinted in thin TiO2 films on the gate surface of ion-sensitive field-effect transistor (ISFET) devices. The imprinting is performed by hydrolyzing the respective carboxylate TiIV butoxide complex on the gate surface, followed by washing off the acid from the resulting TiO2 film. The imprinted sites reveal chiroselectivity only towards the sensing of the imprinted enantiomer. The chiral recognition sites reveal not only chiroselectivity but also chirospecificity and, for example, the (R)-2-imprinted film is active in the sensing of (R)-2, but insensitive towards the sensing of (R)2-phenylpropanoic acid, (R)-3, which exhibits a similar chirality. Similarly, the (R)-3-imprinted film is inactive in the analysis of (R)-2. The chiroselectivity and chirospecificity of the resulting imprinted films are attributed to the need to align and fit the respective substrates in precise molecular contours generated in the cross-linked TiO2 films upon the imprinting process.