A highly selective molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescence sensor for ultra-trace beryllium detection

•A novel molecular imprinted electrochemiluminescence sensor was fabricated for ultra-trace Be2+ detection.•Imprint cavities in the MIPs from elution the Be–PAR complex could provide more recognition sites for analytes.•ECL emission produced by the luminol–H2O2 ECL system, which was applied to detect Be2+.•It gave an extremely lower detection limit (2.35 × 10−11 mol L−1) than the reported methods.

A new molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensor was proposed for highly sensitive and selective determination of ultratrace Be2+ determination. The complex of Be2+ with 4-(2-pyridylazo)-resorcinol (PAR) was chosen as the template molecule for the molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP). In this assay, the complex molecule could be eluted from the MIP, and the cavities formed could then selectively recognize the complex molecules. The cavities formed could also work as the tunnel for the transfer of probe molecules to produce sound responsive signal. The determination was based on the intensity of the signal, which was proportional to the concentrations of the complex molecule in the sample solution, and the Be2+ concentration could then be determined indirectly. The results showed that in the range of 7 × 10−11 mol L−1 to 8.0 × 10−9 mol L−1, the ECL intensity had a linear relationship with the Be2+ concentrations, with the limit of detection of 2.35 × 10−11 mol L−1. This method was successfully used to detect Be2+ in real water samples.

Graphical abstractA novel molecular imprinted electrochemiluminescence sensor was fabricated for ultra-trace Be2+ detection with an extremely lower detection limit based on the luminol–H2O2 ECL system.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide