Determination of trichlorfon using a molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescence sensor on multi-walled carbon nanotubes decorated with silver nanoparticles

Considering the limitations associated with existing methods for the detection of trace amounts of trichlorfon, this paper proposes a novel molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensor for the detection of trichlorfon by utilizing the double enhancement effect of trichlorfon and Ag nanoparticles supported by multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs/Ag NPs) in a luminol–H 2 O 2 ECL system. Here, trichlorfon was electropolymerized on the surface of the MWCNT/Ag NP–modified gold nanoelectrode with o -phenylenediamine to prepare the molecularly imprinted polymer-based sensor. After eluting the trichlorfon, imprinted holes for the identification of trichlorfon were retained on the sensor, which were used as signal switches to obtain different ECL intensities through the adsorption of different concentrations of trichlorfon. The ECL signal of the sensitized luminol–H 2 O 2 was doubly enhanced by the MWCNTs/Ag and trichlorfon, improving the sensitivity of the sensor. The trichlorfon concentration was positively correlated with the enhanced ECL intensity of the sensor in the range 5.0 × 10 −8 –5.0 × 10 −11  mol L −1 , and the detection limit of trichlorfon was 3.9 × 10 −12  mol L −1 . Moreover, the proposed sensor was successfully applied to the detection of trichlorfon residues in real samples, and the recovery ranged between 91.8 and 109%. Graphical abstract A molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescence sensor for trichlorfon detection by utilizing the double enhancement effect of trichlorfon and Ag nanoparticles supported by multi-walled carbon nanotubes in a luminol–H 2 O 2 ECL system. The dual enhancement of the ECL signal improved the sensitivity of the sensor.