Abstract: A new bio-mimetic quartz crystal thickness-shear-mode (TSM) sensor, using an imprinted polymer coating as the sensitive material, has been fabricated and applied to the determination of nicotine (NIC) in human serum and urine. The molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was synthesized using NIC as the template molecule and methacrylic acid (MAA) as the functional monomer. The sensor showed high selectivity and a sensitive response to NIC in aqueous system. The linear response range of the sensor was between 5.0 x 10(-8) and 1.0 x 10(-4) M with a detection limit of 2.5 x 10(-8) M. The viscoelasticity of the coating in the air and in liquid has been studied by the impedance spectrum, The MIP sensor was stable and exhibited effective reproducibility. Satisfactory results were achieved in the detection of the real samples. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved
Template and target information: nicotine
Author keywords: molecularly imprinted polymer, molecular recognition, bio- mimetic sensor, thickness-shear-mode (TSM), nicotine