Computational Design and Fabrication of Optical Fibre Fluorescent Chemical Probes for the Detection of Cocaine

A rationally designed fluorophore has been developed and has been incorporated into molecularly imprinted polymers, as the basis of the design of a sensor. Its use has allowed the fabrication of two different designs of fibre-optic chemical probes using an approach based on the change of the emitted fluorescence being related to the concentration of the desired species that was present. A high sensitivity to the drug Cocaine was achieved with each of the probes, showing positive changes in the fluorescence signal achieved in response to 1-100 μM solutions of the drug, in solution in aqueous acetonitrile. High sensitivity for Cocaine over a range of compounds was demonstrated for one of the probes (probe X) and detection of the drug is possible even in the presence of strong fluorescence interference. The work has also shown that probes of this type do not need to be discarded when used: re-use of probe X is possible using a straightforward washing procedure and the calibration performance was maintained.