Development of molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor with titanium oxide and gold nanomaterials enhanced technique for determination of 4-nonylphenol

4-Nonylphenol (4-NP) was reported to affect the health of wildlife and humans through altering endocrine function. A novel electrochemical sensor for sensitive and fast determination of 4-NP was developed. Titanium oxide (TiO2) nanoparticles and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were introduced for the enhancement of electron conduction and sensitivity. 4-NP-imprinted functionalized AuNPs composites with specific binding sites for 4-NP was modified on electrode. The resulting electrodes were characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV). Rebinding experiments were carried out to determine the specific binding capacity and selective recognition. The linear range was over the range from 4.80 × 10−4 to 9.50 × 10−7 mol L−1, with the detection limit of 3.20 × 10−7 mol L−1 (S/N = 3). The sensor was successfully employed to detect 4-NP in real samples.