Molecularly imprinted polymer-silica nanocomposite based potentiometric sensor for early prostate cancer detection

•Molecularly imprinted polymer-Silicon (MIP-Si) nanocomposite was synthesized.•MIP-Si based all-solid-state (ASS) potentiometric sensor was developed.•The sensor showed high-selectivity for sarcosine in simulated body fluid.•It showed low detection limit (7.8 x 10−8 mol/L), thus is highly sensitive.•The sensor is stable for at least 150 days and shows highly reproducible results. A novel nanocomposite based on molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) polymerized over silica nanoparticles (Si) is used for the development of an all-solid-state (ASS) potentiometric sensor for determination of sarcosine, a biomarker for Prostate Cancer (PCa). This MIP-Si sensor has shown high selectivity in phosphate-buffered solution (PBS) and simulated body fluid (SBF). We have obtained a linear response (10−5–10−8 mol/L), with a low detection limit (7.8 × 10−8 mol/L) and a quick response time close to 30 s, being stable for at least 150 days. It is corroborated that the sensor is a stable, reproducible, and sensitive biosensing device for PCa detection.