A study of a bio-mimetic recognition material for the BAW sensor by molecular imprinting and its application for the determination of paracetamol in the human serum and urine

A new bio-mimetic bulk acoustic wave (BAW) sensor for paracetamol, with a h igh selectivity and sensitivity, was fabricated by using the molecularly im printed polymer (MIP) as the sensing material. Non-covalent molecular impri nting polymers were synthesized simultaneously using two different function al monomers, namely the weakly basic 4-vinylpyridine (4-VP) and the acidic and hydrogen binding methacrylic acid (MAA). Such imprinted polymers improv ed recognition capability as compared with the polymers that were synthesiz ed using only one of the functional monomers. Dynamic quartz crystal impeda nce analysis was employed to study the effect of the viscoelasticity of the polymer coating on the measurement. There was no variation in the viscoela sticity during the detection. The sensor was stable and exhibited good repr oducibility. Satisfactory results were obtained in the determination of par acetamol in real samples. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserve d.