Selective detection of enrofloxacin in biological and environmental samples using a molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescence sensor based on functionalized copper nanoclusters

Abstract Enrofloxacin (ENR) is a broad-spectrum fungicide that has been largely applied in pharmacy and animal-specific medicine. In this paper, a simple, novel and highly sensitive molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescence (MIP-ECL) sensor based on mercaptopropionic acid-functionalized copper nanoclusters (MPA-Cu NCs) was developed to selectively detect enrofloxacin (ENR). MPA-Cu NCs prepared by a one-step method were used to modify the glassy carbon electrode. A molecularly imprinted polymer film containing the cavity was constructed after electropolymerization and elution. Under optimized conditions, the MIP-ECL sensor could detect ENR in the range of 0.1 nM–1 μM (R2 = 0.9863) with a low limit of detection of 27 pM, and the recovery rates of ENR in biological and lake water samples were 88.20–105.0%. The MIP-ECL sensor provided path to improve the stability issues of Cu NCs, which might open promising avenues to develop new ECL systems for biological analysis and environmental water monitoring.