Molecular imprinted polymer-wrapped AgNPs-decorated acid-functionalized graphene oxide as a potent electrochemical sensor for ibuprofen

A new molecular imprinted polymer (MIP)-based electrochemical sensor is fabricated on silver nanoparticle (AgNPs)-decorated acid-functionalized graphene oxide (Af-GO). The synthesis of AgNPs is achieved using Caesalpinia sappan leaf extract. The fabricated AgNPs are effectively decorated on Af-GO on which MIP is grafted. All the functional modification and surface morphology of graphene and fabricated molecular imprinted polymer on AgNPs-decorated graphene oxide (AgNPs@Af-GO-MIP) are characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The synthesized AgNPs@Af-GO-MIP is developed as a sensor for S-Ibuprofen (IBUP) determination. The experimental result demonstrates that AgNPs@Af-GO-MIP has fine selectivity and sensing ability toward IBUP. The sensing ability of AgNPs@Af-GO-MIP is found to be directly proportional to IBUP concentration with a detection limit of 8.7 × 10−9 mol L−1 (S/N = 3). The quantitative result of imprinting factor shows that the developed AgNPs@Af-GO-MIP sensor has an excellent selectivity toward IBUP from interfering compounds like ascorbic acid, caffeine, dopamine, glucose and uric acid. Most promisingly, the sensing capability of developed AgNPs@Af-GO-MIP is fruitfully demonstrated in pharmaceutical and human urine samples, which is a brief glimpse of the real-time applicability of the sensor.