Molecularly Imprinted Polymer-Quantum Dot Materials in Optical Sensors: An Overview of Their Synthesis and Applications

Abstract

In the last decades analytical methods have focused on the determination of target analytes at very low concentration levels. This has been accomplished through the use of traditional analytical methods that usually require high reagent consumption, expensive equipment and long pretreatment steps. Thus, there is a demand for simple, rapid, highly selective and user-friendly detection procedures. Quantum dots (QDs) are semiconductor fluorescent nanomaterials with unique optoelectronic properties that have shown great potential for the development of fluorescence probes. Besides, the combination of QDs with molecularly imprinted polymer (MIPs), synthetic materials with selective recognition, have been proposed as useful materials in the development of optical sensors. The resulting MIP-QDs optical sensors integrate the advantages of both techniques: the high sensitivity of QDs-based fluorescence sensors and the high selectivity of MIPs. This review gives a brief overview of the strategies for the synthesis of MIPs-QDs based optical sensors, highlighting the modifications in the synthesis procedure that improve the sensor performance. Finally, a revision of recent applications in sensing and bioimaging is presented.

Recent advances in protein-imprinted polymers: synthesis, applications and challenges

“…Optical biosensors with increased stability, sensitivity and selective fluorescence response could be constructed by integrated surface imprinted polymers with QDs. 60,61,88,89 For the first time, Tang et al 90 demonstrated the validity of the combination of CdS QDs and MIT to synthesize BSA-surface imprinted polymers for target protein recognition. The CdS QDs not only provided large specific surface areas, which were beneficial to high binding capacity but also were responsive to the binding with a template, which led to the quenching of the photoluminescence emission of CdS QDs.…”

The Pivotal Role of Quantum Dots-Based Biomarkers Integrated with Ultra-Sensitive Probes for Multiplex Detection of Human Viral Infections

“…The fluorescence sensors have become the most common optical technique due to their low detection limitations and format simplicity. Since the quenching phenomenon occurs in the presence of sample components and some materials (analytes), QD-based probes have low selectivity, based on the existing reports [ 56 ]. Fluorescence-based optical sensors have excellent performance in detecting viruses due to the availability of commercial fluorescent probes and advanced optical elements.…”

Polymers and nano-objects, a rational combination for developing health monitoring biosensors

“…After the polymerization reaction, the target molecule is extracted leaving a specific imprint on the polymer. With the resulting MIP-QD composite, the measured quenching effect during the recognition events in the evaluated target solutions allows to quantify the analyte concentration [37]. The different quenching mechanisms and a series of examples are nicely reviewed in references [38,39].…”