Preparation of a Molecularly Imprinted Film on Quartz Crystal Microbalance Chip for Determination of Furanic Compounds

The structural preferences of furanic compounds were studied using a combination of a molecularly imprinted film (MIF) on a piezoelectric-quartz chip. The furanic compounds and their derivatives were used as the templates. Owing to their similar heterocyclic structures, it is difficult to verify the structural differences between the templates. Therefore, a new cross-linker (Methacr-l-Cys-NHBn)2, was employed to generate a platform on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) chip. The cross-linker self-assembled to link the surface of the chip to copolymerize with other functional monomers. A layered film with chiral hydrophobicity and rigidity was thus fabricated. Subsequently, Acr-l-Ser-NHBn was utilized as a chiral monomer to construct MIF on a QCM chip. Forcomparison, we synthesized a more hydrophobic monomer, Methacr-l-Ser-NHBn, to enhance the binding ability of the MIF. The QCM flow injection system was handled in an organic solvent system. The proportion of the monomers was adjusted to optimize the recognition ability of these films. As the binding ability of the MIF toward model templates and structurally-related furanic compounds was improved, a MIF derived from 2-furaldehyde (FUL) achieved a lower detection limit (10 ng/mL). The binding properties of MIFs prepared against furanic compounds exhibited strong similarities to the binding properties of other compounds with heterocyclic ring structures. For example, 2-furaldehyde is very similar to 2-formylthiazole, 2-acetylfuran is similar to 2-acetylthiazole, and 2-furfuryl alcohol is similar to imidazole-2-methanol. Such recognition ability can help distinguish between the structural counterparts of other small heterocyclic compounds.