Capacitive sensor for environmental monitoring based on thin films of molecularly imprinted polymers. Computer modeling for optimization of the composition of synthetic analogs of bioreceptors

A capacitive sensor for environmental monitoring based on thin films of desmetryn-selective molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was developed. The method of modification of gold electrodes with the thin film of herbicide-selective MIP using the grafting polymerization approach was developed. The method of computational modeling was used to optimize the composition of desmetryn-selective MIPs. It was shown that 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propan-sulfonic acid is the optimal functional monomer for desmetryn. Formation of synthetic binding sites in MIPs was demonstrated to be determined by the binding energy between the template and functional monomers as well as the number of functional groups taking part in the recognition of the template molecule. Electrochemical processes occurring at the MIP-modified electrode were analyzed. The detection limit for desmetryn comprised 100 nM. High selectivity of the capacitive sensor towards structural analogues of desmetryn as well as high operational and storage stabilities was demonstrated.