# High-Performance Sensor Based on Molecularly Imprinted Poly-o-Phenylenediamine for Determination of Pentoses in Hydrolyzates of Lignocellulosic Biomass

## TL;DR

A new sensor made from a special polymer detects sugars in sugarcane biomass, which could help in biofuel production.

## Contribution

A high-performance sensor using molecularly imprinted poly-o-phenylenediamine for pentose detection in lignocellulosic hydrolyzates.

## Key findings

- The sensor achieved a detection limit of 6.1 × 10–12 mol L–1 for d-xylose and 2.5 × 10–12 mol L–1 for d-arabinose.
- The sensor effectively quantified sugars in sugarcane bagasse hydrolyzate samples.
- Optimized parameters improved the analytical performance of the electrochemical sensor.

## Abstract

Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) sensors were developed
to determine d-xylose and d-arabinose in hydrolyzates
of lignocellulosic
biomass from sugarcane. Sensors were fabricated using molecularly
imprinted poly-o-phenylenediamine anchored on composite substrates
of functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (FMWCNTs) electrodeposited
onto a graphite/paraffin surface. The characterization of the modified
electrodes and electrochemical analyses involved the utilization of
spectroscopy and electroanalytical techniques such as Fourier-Transform
Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Field Emission Gun Scanning Electron
Microscopy (FEG-SEM), Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), Electrochemical Impedance
Spectroscopy (EIS), and Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV). These
techniques were employed to gain insight into the modified electrodes’
properties and behavior and perform detailed electrochemical analyses.
In addition, the most critical parameters that directly affect the
analytical performance of the electrochemical sensor have been optimized.
The sensors showed a limit of detection (LOD) of 6.1 × 10–12 mol L–1 for d-xylose
and 2.5 × 10–12 mol L–1 for d-arabinose, in the linear range of concentration from 1.0 ×
10–11 mol L–1 to 1.0 × 10–10 mol L–1. The employed sensor effectively
facilitated the quantification of d-xylose and d-arabinose within hydrolyzate samples derived from sugarcane bagasse.