A molecularly imprinted sensor based on β-cyclodextrin incorporated multiwalled carbon nanotube and gold nanoparticles-polyamide amine dendrimer nanocomposites combining with water-soluble chitosan derivative for the detection of chlortetracycline

We developed a molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor based on gold electrode decorated by β-cyclodextrin (CD) incorporated multiwalled carbon nanotube, gold nanoparticles-polyamide amine dendrimer nanocomposites (Au-PAMAM) and chitosan derivative (CSDT) for selective and convenient determination of chlortetracycline (CTC). The electrochemical sensor was fabricated by stepwise modification of cyclodextrin-multiwalled carbon nanotube composites (CD-MWCNTs) and Au-PAMAM onto the gold electrode. The layer of MIPs was the outer layer of the electrochemical sensor. In this article, CSDT acted as functional monomer, and CTC as the template molecule. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and amperometry were used to characterize the electrochemical behavior of the developed sensor. The linear range of the molecularly imprinted sensor was from 9.00 × 10−8 to 5.00 × 10−5 mol/L (from 0.0464 mg/kg to 25.767 mg/kg), with the limit of detection (LOD) of 4.954 × 10−8 mol/L (0.0255 mg/kg, S/N = 3). The developed sensor showed high selectivity and excellent stability toward CTC. The results from real sample analysis confirmed the applicability of the sensor to quantitative analysis.

► A selective electrochemical molecularly imprinted sensor for the detection of CTC was developed. ► We fabricated a type of chitosan derivative and utilized it to prepare molecularly imprinted polymers as fuctional monomers. ► The sensor was fabricated by CD-MWCNTs and Au-PAMAM composites film and MIPs films. ► The CD-MWCNTs and Au-PAMAM composites film could enhance the current response evidently. ► The proposed sensor displayed excellent selectivity toward CTC.