An Electrochemical Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Sensor for Rapid β-Lactoglobulin Detection

Facile detection of beta-lactoglobulin is extraordinarily important for the management of the allergenic safety of cow's milk and its dairy products. A sensitive electrochemical sensor based on a molecularly imprinted polymer-modified carbon electrode for the detection of beta-lactoglobulin was successfully synthesized. This molecularly imprinted polymer was prepared using a hydrothermal method with choline chloride as a functional monomer, beta-lactoglobulin as template molecule and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as crosslinking agent. Then, the molecularly imprinted polymer was immobilized on polyethyleneimine (PEI)-reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-gold nanoclusters (Au-NCs) to improve the sensor's selectivity for beta-lactoglobulin. Under optimal experimental conditions, the designed sensor showed a good response to beta-lactoglobulin, with a linear detection range between 10(-9) and 10(-4) mg/mL, and a detection limit of 10(-9) mg/mL (S/N = 3). The developed electrochemical sensor showed a high correlation in the detection of beta-lactoglobulin in four different milk samples from the market, indicating that the sensor can be used with actual sample.

Automated summary

The study developed a sensitive electrochemical sensor based on a molecularly imprinted polymer-modified carbon electrode for the detection of beta-lactoglobulin. The sensor exhibited good response to beta-lactoglobulin with a linear detection range between 10(-9) and 10(-4) mg/mL and a detection limit of 10(-9) mg/mL. The sensor showed a high correlation in detecting beta-lactoglobulin in four different milk samples from the market, indicating its potential for practical use.