Quantum dots coated with molecularly imprinted polymer as fluorescence probe for detection of cyphenothrin

A newly designed molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) material was fabricated and successfully utilized as recognition element to develop a quantum dots (QDs) based MIP-coated composite for selective recognition of the template cyphenothrin. The MIP-coated QDs were characterized by fluorescence spectrophotometer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscope, dynamic light scattering and X-ray powder diffraction. The fluorescence of the coated QDs is quenched on loading the MIP with cyphenothrin, and the effect is much stronger for the MIP than for the non-imprinted polymer, which indicates the MIP could as a recognition template composite. This method can detect down to 9.0nmolL−1 of cyphenothrin in water, and a linear relationship has been obtained covering the concentration range of 0.1–80.0μmolL−1. The method has been used in the determination of cyphenothrin in water samples and gave recoveries in the range from 88.5% to 97.1% with relative standard deviations in the range of 3.1–6.2%. The present study provides a new and general strategy to fabricate inorganic–organic MIP-coated QDs with highly selective recognition ability in aqueous media and is desirable for chemical probe application. •Molecularly imprinted polymer coated quantum dots composite was prepared.•The composite could selectively recognize the corresponding template cyphenothrin.•The method was used for the determination of cyphenothrin in water samples.•The detection limit of cyphenothrin was 9.0nmolL−1 and RSD was 3.1–6.2%.