Molecularly imprinted polymers for highly sensitive detection of morphine using surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy

Molecular imprinting technology is applied in surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy for highly sensitive and selective detection of morphine (MO). As SPR-based sensor of MO, the preparation of molecular imprinted polymer is as follows: methacrylic acids (MAA), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), azodiisobutyronitrile (AIBN) were used as functional monomer, cross-linker and initiator, respectively. The experiment results showed that morphine imprinted polymer had the performance of high sensitivity and specificity, i.e. the relative signal of SPR response was proportional to the concentration of morphine in acetonitrile in the range of 10−9 mol/L to 10−6 mol/L (1 ppb–1 ppm) with LOD of 10−10 mol/L, and MO was distinguished from its analogs, such as codeine.