Novel electrochemical-surface plasmon resonance (EC-SPR) sensor for amphetamine-type stimulants detection based on molecularly imprinted strategy

The abuse of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) has always been a worldwide problem and the law enforcement agencies are tasked and demanded with identifying them on-site rapidly and reliably in unknown samples. In the present study, an efficient electrochemical-surface plasmon resonance (EC-SPR) sensor, coupled with molecularly imprinted strategy, for adsorption and quantitative measurement of ATS in the human urine and serum samples was demonstrated. The molecular imprinted recognition system on SPR chip was synthesized by a convenient one-step electrochemical polymerization with 3,4-methylenedioxyphenethylamine (MDEA) as the template molecule and dopamine (DA) as the functional monomer. In particular, the molecularly imprinted process was regulated and controlled through synchronous measurement of the SPR signals. This proposed method showed lower detection limit with 57 nM and 59 nM for 3,4-methylenedioxeamphetamine (MDA) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in broad linearity, respectively and could be resistant to the interferences from various illicit drugs and other substances. Moreover, this EC-SPR sensor could be employed for detection the spiked MDMA in real urine and serum samples, significantly exhibiting attractive application prospect in forensic analysis.