Advanced molecularly imprinted polymer-based paper analytical device for selective and sensitive detection of Bisphenol-A in water samples

• A relevant, on-site, and green strategy for monitoring Bisphenol-A (BPA) is provided. • Successful integration of MIP onto PAD to reach high BPA selectivity and sensitivity. • Efficient adsorption and detection of BPA trace quantities (3.3 ng/mL) was achieved. • Smartphone sensing MIP-PAD was successfully applied for BPA in water samples. Recently, the challenges in sensors have pointed towards rapid, on-site, and visual methods, especially when the sensing concerns toxic components such as Bisphenol-A (BPA). Herein, significant binding capacities for BPA have been featured the ultrasonically prepared molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP). Under the optimal adsorption conditions, which have been determined by a central composite design, the synthesized MIP exhibited a high imprinting factor of 9. The prepared MIP was effectively integrated into a membrane to fabricate an advanced paper-based analytical device (MIP-PAD) for the on-site colorimetric detection of BPA. The results of the evolved MIP-PAD were further analyzed by smartphone and processed by ImageJ software to quantify the BPA concentrations. The MIP-PAD platform exhibited a relevant performance for BPA sensitive sensing with a limit of detection and quantification of 0.03 μg/mL and 0.10 μg/mL, respectively. Moreover, trace levels of BPA (3.3 ng/mL) were successfully detected using MIP-PAD in SPE-tube with a loading volume of 1 mL. Besides, the fabricated chemical sensor revealed a high selectivity towards BPA after assessing various analogous compounds. Furthermore, this advanced technology was accurately applied for water samples and presented long-term stability.