# Molecularly imprinted polymer/CdTe quantum dots-decorated polymer optic fiber microprobes for Amoxicillin detection

## TL;DR

A new sensor using a polymer fiber decorated with quantum dots can detect amoxicillin with high accuracy and safety, offering a promising tool for monitoring antibiotic residues.

## Contribution

A novel MIP/CdTe quantum dots-decorated POF microprobe for sensitive and specific in situ amoxicillin detection.

## Key findings

- The sensor has a linear detection range of 0.5–50 μg/L for amoxicillin.
- It achieves a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.31 μg/L.
- The sensor is reusable, stable, and suitable for in situ monitoring.

## Abstract

Amoxicillin (AMX) is a widely used antibiotic for infectious diseases. However, excessive residues of AMX in the food chain and environment pose serious threats to public health, making precise monitoring of AMX crucial. Among various detection methods, fluorescence spectroscopy has garnered significant attention due to its unique advantages. Nevertheless, conventional fluorescence probes based on organic dyes or quantum dots (QDs) suffer from limitations such as difficult separation, easy pollution, poor biocompatibility and safety, lack of specificity and in situ detection. To address these challenges, we developed a novel sensor based on a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP)/CdTe quantum dots-decorated polymer optical fiber microprobe (POF MP) for AMX detection. This sensor offers multiple advantages, including good specificity, reusability and stability, excellent biocompatibility and safety, in situ monitoring, and residue-free operation. The proposed sensor demonstrates a linear detection range of 0.5–50 μg/L with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.31 μg/L. This innovative sensor provides a promising solution for monitoring AMX concentrations in biological and environmental systems, contributing to advancements in microenvironmental monitoring, pharmaceutical sensing, and biomedical therapeutics.