A molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescence sensor based on upconversion nanoparticles enhanced by electrodeposited rGO for selective and ultrasensitive detection of clenbuterol

A simple, efficient and sensitive molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescence sensor (MIECLS) based on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) was developed for determination of clenbuterol (CLB). In this study, rGO generated by electrodeposition of graphene oxide not only acted as carrier for immobilizing UCNPs, but also had a significant impact in boosting electrochemiluminescence (ECL) response of UCNPs thanks to its high conductivity, superior electron transport rate and large specific surface area. UCNPs as an advanced ECL emitter possessed wonderful ECL performance. Furthermore, the introduction of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP) endowed the ECL sensor a new character of specifically identifying analyte CLB. Under the optimal experimental conditions, the ECL signal was proportional to the logarithm of CLB concentration in the range of 10 nM to 100 µM with a low detection limit of 6.3 nM. The proposed MIECLS combining the advantages of UCNPs-ECL and MIP exhibited good sensitivity, desirable selectivity and favorable stability, indicating enormous potential in the future of food safety detection.