O c t o b e r 0 4 -0 6 , 2 0 1 8 A m s t e r d a m , N e t h e H ere, we present a potentiometric sensor for cocaine detection based on molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) produced by the solid-phase imprinting method. The composition of polymers with high affinity for cocaine was optimized using molecular modelling. Four compositions were selected and polymers prepared using two protocols: chemical polymerisation in water and UV-initiated polymerisation in organic solvent.

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... l synthesised nanoparticles had very good affinity to cocaine with dissociation constants between 0.6 nM and 5.3 nM. However, imprinted polymers produced in organic solvent using acrylamide as a functional monomer demonstrated the highest yield and affinity. For further sensor development, nanoparticles were incorporated within a PVC matrix which was then used to prepare an ion-selective membrane integrated with a potentiometric transducer. It was demonstrated that the sensor was able to quantify cocaine in blood serum samples in the range of concentrations between 1 nM and 1mM.