Progress in the Development of Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Sensors

Remote chemical sensors rely on a means of chemical recognition. Most of these sensors apply some previously discovered phenomenon as the basis for measurement. A means to produce sensors for any specific chemical that requires quantitation would be ideal. The technique of molecular imprinting provides chemical recognition based on need and not happenstance. One flexible and sensitive method for chemical sensing is luminescence spectroscopy using optical fibers. This article examines the combination of fiber-optic-based luminescence and molecular imprinting to create highly sensitive chemical sensors to systematically meet the demands of modern society. Pub. in Johns Hopkins APL Technical Digest, v20 n2 pp190-198, 1999.