Molecular Imprinting Technology in Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) Sensors

Abstract

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) as artificial antibodies have received considerable scientific attention in the past years in the field of (bio)sensors since they have unique features that distinguish them from natural antibodies such as robustness, multiple binding sites, low cost, facile preparation and high stability under extreme operation conditions (higher pH and temperature values, etc.). On the other hand, the Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) is an analytical tool based on the measurement of small mass changes on the sensor surface. QCM sensors are practical and convenient monitoring tools because of their specificity, sensitivity, high accuracy, stability and reproducibility. QCM devices are highly suitable for converting the recognition process achieved using MIP-based memories into a sensor signal. Therefore, the combination of a QCM and MIPs as synthetic receptors enhances the sensitivity through MIP process-based multiplexed binding sites using size, 3D-shape and chemical function having molecular memories of the prepared sensor system toward the target compound to be detected. This review aims to highlight and summarize the recent progress and studies in the field of (bio)sensor systems based on QCMs combined with molecular imprinting technology.

Keywords: biomolecular recognition; biosensors; molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs); quartz crystal microbalance (QCM); synthetic receptors.

Figure 1

Schematic representation of molecular imprinting (reproduced with permission from [11]).

Figure 2

AFM image of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell imprinted sensor surface (reproduced with permission from [15]).

Figure 3

Schemes of the preparation of sol-gel imprinted thin film on the surface of the piezoelectric quartz crystal (PQC) Au-electrode for the detection of staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) (reproduced with permission from [19]).

Figure 4

Schematic representation of epitope-imprinting (reproduced with permission from [20]).

Figure 5

(a) Schematic demonstration of MIP-based QCM sensor; (b) Prepared MIP based-QCM sensor with multi-channel; (c) Schematic depiction of the prepared sensor system combined with impedance analyzer (reproduced with permission from [28]).

Figure 6

Preparation of MIP film coated QCM sensor for Ribonuclease A (Reproduced with permission from Reference [35]).

Figure 7

Preparation of MIP for 8-OHdG (reproduced with permission from [36]).

Figure 8

Preparation of QCM sensor toward lysozyme (reproduced with permission from [38]).

Figure 9

MIP-based QCM sensor toward pinacolyl methylphosphonate (reproduced with permission from [59]).

Figure 10

MIP-based QCM sensor for naproxen (reproduced with permission from [64]).