Preparation of novel optical fibre-based Cocaine sensors using a molecular imprinted polymer approach

•Cocaine sensors based on a molecularly imprinted polymer approach were developed.•An increase in fluorescence intensity received from the sensors was observed.•One of the sensors exhibited high selectivity for Cocaine over Codeine.•Selectivity for Cocaine over range of known interferants was also demonstrated.

Novel chemical sensors using fibre optic-based techniques for the detection of Cocaine have been developed, utilising molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) containing fluorescein moieties as the signalling groups. The fluorescent MIPs were formed and covalently attached to the distal end of specially chosen optical fibres to create fibre optic probe-based sensors. These sensors exhibited are producible and quantifiable change in the intensity of the fluorescence signal received from the sensor in response to Cocaine in aqueous acetonitrile mixtures. High selectivity for Cocaine over Codeine and a range of known Cocaine interferants has been demonstrated for one of the sensors developed in this work.