Molecularly Imprinted Polymers-Based Electrochemical Sensors: Development, Integration, and Analytical Applications

Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) is an artificial receptor that has molecular memory widely in use for the fabrication of various chemical sensors. Among these sensors, MIP-based electrochemical sensors attracted a tremendous attention from the researchers and industries due to their vigorous features including being user-friendly, fast response, sensitivity, and selectivity. These types of sensors combine the advantages of electroanalytical methods with that of MIPs such as cost-effectiveness, freedom for preparing it for different target analytes, selectivity, and robust nature. Electrochemical sensors based on MIPs as receptor are widely applicable in different fields. The broad applications of such sensors for the detection or determination of various analytes are owing to their selectivity and sensitivity as well as suitability for real-time analysis. In this sensor technology, the key step is the proper integration of MIP films with suitable electrodes for better performance of the device platforms. Thus, this chapter will present the development of MIPs, its advantages, and integration into electrochemical sensors as a key element in the electrochemical sensors to create good interface and high signal-to-noise ratio, and its applications in various fields such as environmental inspection, food safety control, clinical diagnosis, precision agriculture, and security system are discussed.