Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6), Climate Action (SDG 13)
Molecularly imprinted electrochemical nanosensor for HIV drugs micropollutants monitoring in water Kefilwe V. Mokwebo 1,2,3* , Samantha F. Douman 3 , and Emmanuel I. Iwuoha 1,2 1 SensorLab (University of the Western Cape Sensor Laboratories), Chemical Sciences Building, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, Cape Town, South Africa. 2 South African Research Chair Initiative (SARChI) Chair for NanoElectrochemistry & Sensor Technology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, Cape Town, South Africa. 3 Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, cape Town 7701, South Africa. E-mail: vmokwebo@uwc.ac.za The constant release of organic pharmaceutical compounds into natural water bodies without proper regulations has become a serious problem for humans and aquatic organisms. Proper monitoring and regulation of these trace level pharmaceutical micropollutants requires highly sensitive and selective techniques. Electroanalytical sensors are increasingly becoming alternative analytical tools for the detection and monitoring of pharmaceutical micropollutants in the water environment due to their fast response time, low cost, portability and easy-to-use in real-time measurements. Since micropollutants exists at trace levels (ng.L -1 - µg.L -1 ) in complex environmental water samples, further improvement to the electrode’s sensitivity, selectivity and limit of detection (LOD) is required. Combining electrochemical transduction with biomimetic molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP) may offer satisfactory results in the determination of trace level analytes at low cost with superior selectivity and specificity. In the present study, emtricitabine (FTC)-imprinted poly (para-aminobenzoic acid) (PABA) sensor was prepared electrochemically for the detection of FTC in water. FTC is an antiretroviral drug used for the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. Unfortunately, this drug has been detected in environmental waters at concentration ranging from 0.11 – 172 µg.L -1 . Hence, its crucial to monitor its concentration in order to curb its pollution and environmental toxicity. Key words: Molecularly imprinted polymer, nanosensor, wastewater analysis, pharmaceutical micropollutants, HIV drugs References 1. Mokwebo, K. V., Douman, S. F., Januarie, K. C., Oranzie, M., Sanga, N. A., & Iwuoha, E. I. (2024). Analytica Chimica Acta , 1329, 343184. 2. Mokwebo, K. V., Douman, S. F., Uhuo, O. V., Januarie, K. C., Oranzie, M., & Iwuoha, E.I. (2022). Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry , 920, 116621-116650. 3. Mokwebo, K. V., Murphy, E., Guin, S. K., Camisasca, A., Giordani, S., Breslin, C., & Dempsey, E. (2023). Electrochimica Acta , 461, 142639-142653
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