Construction of an electrochemical sensor based on magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer-zeolite imidazole framework-8 for detection of 3,4-benzopyrene

A novel molecular-imprinted electrochemical sensor for 3,4-benzopyrene (3, 4-BaP) in food samples, with high sensitivity and selective detection, is introduced. Firstly, graphene oxide was modified onto a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by electroreduction deposition to form an RGO/GCE sensing platform, thereby enhancing the sensitivity and stability of the sensor. Then, magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer-zeolite imidazole framework-8 (MMIP-ZIF-8) was synthesized in one step using the crystal growth method and modified onto RGO/GCE, endowing the sensor with good adsorption capacity and selectivity. The performance of the sensor for 3, 4-BaP was studied using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and the detection conditions of the constructed sensor were optimized. The results showed that under the optimal conditions, the constructed sensor exhibited a wide linear range (0.5 ~ 1000 nmol L⁻¹), a low limit of detection (0.16 nmol L⁻¹), and good selectivity and stability for the detection of 3, 4-BaP. It also showed a good recovery (99.74 ~ 102.58%) for the detection of 3, 4-BaP in actual corn meal samples. The MMIP-ZIF-8/RGO/GCE sensor developed has potential application prospects in the precise detection of 3, 4-BaP in food.