A molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescence nanoprobe based on complexes consisting of CdTe and multiwall carbon nanotube for sensitive determination of clenbuterol.

An electrochemiluminescence (ECL) nanoprobe was fabricated for the determination of clenbuterol (CLB). A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) film was coated on the surface of the glassy carbon electrode modified with CdTe-doped multiwall carbon nanotubes. The MIP film with CLB as the template molecule improves the selectivity of the nanoprobe, CdTe is used as ECL signal amplifier, and MWCNT works as the carrier. The ECL intensity is altered by elution and reabsorption of CLB. The possible reaction mechanism and experimental parameters of the nanoprobe are discussed. Under optimized conditions, the quenched ECL intensity and the CLB concentration have a linear relationship in the range 2.3 × 10-9 to 1.5 × 10-5 mol·L-1, and the detection limit is 1.0 × 10-9 mol·L-1 (S/N = 3). The nanoprobe was successfully applied to the determination of CLB in pork samples. Graphical abstract Schematic representation of the molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescence nanoprobe based on complexes consisting of CdTe and multiwall carbon nanotube used to determinate clenbuterol.