A robust molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescence sensor based on a Ni-Co nanoarray for the sensitive detection of spiramycin.

To prepare portable and robust sensors for the sensitive and selective detection of small molecules is still a challenge for the study of electroanalytical sensors. Here, we developed a molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescence sensor (MIECL) for the detection of spiramycin (SPI), a type of multi-component macrolide antibiotic. First, Ni-Co LDH nanoarrays were synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method and then directly used as a sensing platform. Then, as-synthesized N-Ti 3 C 2 was modified on the nanoarrays. Due to the functional nanomaterial N-Ti 3 C 2 not only serving as a substrate material to enable loading a large amount of perylene tetracarboxylic acid (PTCA) but also acting as a co-reaction promoter to accelerate the decomposition of S 2 O 8 2- to generate more SO 4 ˙ - , the modified nanoarrays displayed a significantly enhanced electrochemiluminescence (ECL) signal. Finally, the molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) and ECL techniques were combined to greatly improve the selectivity and sensitivity of the sensor. Under the optimal conditions, the easily constructed MIECL sensor showed good selectivity, reproducibility, and stability, and a detection limit of up to 3.14 × 10 -13 M. The as-fabricated sensor was further evaluated by applying it to detect SPI in milk samples.