Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Real-Time Gas Sensor for Ambient Methanol Vapor Analysis Developed Using Principles of Sustainable Chemistry
Todd Cowen, Michael Cheffena
Abstract
High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide A molecularly imprinted polymer-based composite has been fabricated for gas-phase sensing using principles of green chemistry. Methanol vapor was chosen as a target, being simultaneously a common industrial hazard and a relatively safe analogue for volatile pollutants. The sensor was therefore produced both from environmentally sustainable sources and for environmentally useful purposes. The described methanol sensor is effective at room temperature and in laboratory air, being the first demonstration of such a technology using molecularly imprinted polymers. The sensor is therefore a sustainable progression in purpose and application, negating the previous requirement that analytes be heated before they can be detected. The MIP–graphite composite showed selectivity for methanol vapor over common interferents, including other alcohols. The limit of detection was found to be 126 μmol dm –3, and a consistent response was demonstrated up to 3.3 mmol dm –3 . Studies also demonstrated that the sensor could reproduce a response in proportion to methanol vapor concentration after several months of storage under ambient conditions. Molecularly imprinted polymer gas sensors are therefore shown to be an effective basis for selective and sustainable pollutant monitoring.