Molecularly imprinted microspheres based multiplexed fluorescence method for simultaneous detection of benzimidazoles and pyrethroids in meat samples

•Two MIP microspheres and two fluorescent tracers for BZs and PYs are synthesized.•They are used to develop a differential fluorescence method on microplate.•The multiplexed method can simultaneously detect BZs and PYs in meat. Two molecularly imprinted microspheres and two fluorescent tracers for benzimidazoles and pyrethroids were synthesized respectively. The two types of microspheres were coated in the wells of conventional microplate simultaneously. Then the sample extracts and the two traces were added for differential competition. The fluorescence intensities at two different emission wavelengths were excited and recorded for quantification of the two classes of drugs respectively. The optimized multiplexed fluorescence method could be used to determine 8 benzimidazoles and 10 pyrethroids in mutton and beef samples simultaneously. The limits of detection of the method for the 18 drugs were in the range of 5.2–17 ng/mL, and the recoveries from the standards fortified blank samples were in the range of 67.7%–109%. From the analysis of 60 real mutton and beef samples, this method could be used for multi-screening the residues of benzimidazoles and pyrethroids in meat samples.