Molecularly imprinted polymers-based sensors for bisphenol-A: Recent developments and applications in environmental, food and biomedical analysis

Abstract

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a well-known endocrine-disrupting industrial compound that is found throughout many aspects of our daily life; from the water we drink and the food we eat to the babies’ bottles and children’s plastic toys. Chronic exposure to BPA may result in some severe medical issues which account for the great importance of its monitoring and removal from everyday products. The use of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for that purpose has acquired a lot of traction in recent decades. MIPs are artificial antibodies with selective recognition cavities for specifically targeted substances. They are created using a variety of synthetic methods and employed in numerous types of sensors to be used in a wide range of applications. In this review, we focus on the different production methods of MIPs and the varied types of electrochemical and optical sensors that employed MIPs to detect and analyze BPA. Finally, the broad variety of applications of MIPs in environmental, foodstuff, and biological samples are thoroughly examined. Future expected trends and prospective developments are also assessed.