Highly stable electrochemical sensing platform for the selective determination of pefloxacin in food samples based on a molecularly imprinted-polymer-coated gold nanoparticle/black phosphorus nanocomposite

A highly stable electrochemical sensing platform coupled with molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) and gold nanoparticle/black phosphorus nanocomposite (BPNS-AuNPs) was constructed for the selective detection of Pefloxacin in food samples. [Display omitted] •Highly stable electrochemical sensor for selective determination of Pefloxacin.•Label-free, molecularly imprinted polymer voltammetric sensor.•BPNS-AuNPs were prepared via a spontaneous redox reaction.•Wide linear range (0.005–10 μM), low LOD (0.08 nM) and good stability (5 weeks).•Highly sensitivity for detecting PEF in milk, and orange juice. The overuse of pefloxacin (PEF) leaves residues in foods. Therefore, the development of robust analytical techniques for the selective detection of PEF is of great importance. In this study, a highly stable electrochemical sensing platform has been constructed, using molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)-coated gold nanoparticle/black phosphorus nanocomposites (BPNS-AuNPs), for the selective detection of PEF. BPNS-AuNPs significantly enhance the black phosphorus (BP) stability and electrochemical activity and offer a larger surface area to accommodate more imprinted sites for selective PEF binding. MIP/BPNS-AuNPs exhibit a broad linear detection range (0.005–10 μM), low detection limit (0.80 nM), and high sensitivity (3.199 μA μM−1). The MIP/BPNS-AuNPs show a high binding affinity for PEF, even in the presence of structural analogs, and maintain stable voltammetric signals for at least 35 d. The MIP sensor exhibits consistent high sensitivity in the detection of PEF in real milk and orange juice samples.