Optical detection system for triazine based on molecularly-imprinted polymers

A new system for the detection of triazine herbicide was prepared using the molecular imprinting approach. This method is based on the competition between fluorescent-labeled and the unlabeled substance-analyte for the specific binding sites, that were produced in polymer by the imprinting of the template. Polymer synthesis consists of radical polymerization of functional monomer (diethylaminoethyl methacrylate or methacrylic acid) and cross-linker (ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) in the presence of triazine as a template. After grinding of the polymer block and splitting off the template molecules a suspension of the polymer was used for the herbicide-specific sensor system. Selective detection of triazine in the concentration range of 0.01-100 mM was achieved within 4 hours. This method seems to be applicable for the development of optical sensors; combining the high sensitivity and selectivity characteristic for biological receptors and the high stability of the synthetic molecularly imprinted polymers.