Synthesis of fluorescent artificial receptors with high specificity for simultaneous detection of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

[Display omitted] •Highly specific fluorescent molecularly imprinted polymers (FMIPs) were prepared.•The FMIPs can detect their own target drugs rapidly and sensitively.•A simultaneous detection method was developed by integrating the FMIPs in a system.•The fluorescence system can detect the spiked drugs simultaneously in food samples. Development of multiple detection methods to monitor non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in food is an effective way to protect human health. Here, we aimed to synthesize fluorescent artificial receptors by molecular imprinting technique to construct a simultaneous detection system targeting NSAIDs. Rhodamine B and fluorescein-functionalized silanes were employed as the fluorescence signal reporters for naproxen and ketoprofen, respectively. Two fluorescent molecularly imprinted polymers (FMIPs) were obtained with high specificity, giving cross-reactivity factors of 6.4–15.8 (naproxen) and 2.6–25.6 (ketoprofen). Both FMIPs also displayed rapid response time (5 min) and high sensitivity (detection limit at ∼ nM level). A simultaneous detection system was constructed based on the FMIPs and applied for sensing the spiked NSAIDs in real samples, showing recoveries of 71–119 %, comparable with the HPLC methods (70–113 %). In summary, use of different FMIPs to construct simultaneous detection systems is practicable, and provides a flexible way for sensing multiple hazards in food samples.