Detection of organophosphorus compounds using a molecularly imprinted photonic crystal

► We created molecularly imprinted photonic crystal (MIPC) for methylphosphonic acid. ► The diffraction intensity of the MIPC decreased in response to MPA. ► The MIPC provides an indirect path to detect nerve agents by monitoring the MPA released from their hydrolysis. A label free molecularly imprinted photonic crystal (MIPC) was developed to detect the degradation product of nerve agents. Mono-dispersed poly-methyl methacrylate colloidal particles with the diameter of 280 nm were used to fabricate a closely packed colloidal crystal array (CCA), and a methyl phosphonic acid (MPA) imprinted hydrogel was prepared within the CCA using 2-hydroxyethyl-methacrylate and N-isopropylacrylamide as monomers, ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate and N, N′-methylenebisacrylamide as cross-linkers, a mixture of n-octanol and acetonitrile as porogen. The diffraction intensity of the MIPC decreased significantly upon the MPA adsorption with a limit of detection (LOD) of 10 −6 mol L −1. Furthermore, the diffraction intensity decreased and blue shifted with the increase of temperature, decreased and red shifted with the increase of ionic strength. At higher pH, the diffraction intensity increased without obvious diffraction shift. The MIPC provides an indirect path to detect nerve agents (Sarin, Soman, VX and R-VX) by monitoring the MPA released from the hydrolysis of nerve agents, with LODs of 3.5 × 10 −6 mol L −1, 2.5 × 10 −5 mol L −1, 7.5 × 10 −5 mol L −1 and 7.5 × 10 −5 mol L −1 for Sarin, Soman, VX and R-VX, respectively.