An investigation on development of a molecular imprinted sensor with graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) quantum dots for detection of acetaminophen

In the present study, a novel electrochemical sensor for acetaminophen (AMP) which included quantum graphitic carbon nitride dots, g-C3N4QDs, was designed and conducted with molecular imprinted polymer (MIP). First, bulk g-C3N4 was generated with direct thermal polycondensation of melamine. After the treatment of the acidic solution containing H2SO4: HNO3 (1:1, v:v), the heating treatment at 200 °C on the dispersion provided g-C3N4QDs. In this respect, for nanomaterial characterization, some spectroscopic approaches were performed including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) as well as electroanalytical methods such as electrochemical impedance (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). In accordance with the aims of the study, AMP imprinted electrode was formed after high electrocatalytic performance and linear range of 1.0 × 10–11–2.0 × 10–8 M and the LODs of 2.0 × 10–12 was achieved. Eventually, an AMP-printed sensor was also used for AMP identification in pharmaceutical samples.