Fabrication of a near-infrared fluorescence-emitting SiO2-AuZnFeSeS quantum dots-molecularly imprinted polymer nanocomposite for the ultrasensitive fluorescence detection of levamisole

Levamisole is an anthelminthic drug that usually used as a cutting agent to lace illicit cocaine samples and has been classified dangerous substance. In this work, we report on the fabrication of novel fluorescence sensor for levamisole using AuZnFeSeS alloyed quantum dots (QDs)-molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) nanocomposite. Firstly, organic-phased QDs were synthesized via organometallic hot-injection pyrolysis metal precursors, surfactants, organic ligands. Silica (SiO2) was then encapsulated surface render it compact, stable, biocompatible. Via free radical polymerization approach, robust MIP shell templated with coated around SiO2-AuZnFeSeS form [email protected] core/shell Passivation core led radiative exciton recombination process, whereby enhanced. Interestingly, characterized by rod-shaped spherical-shaped particle morphology. Under optimum conditions, nanocomposite quenched in presence selective against other tested drugs. Quantitative detection achieved concentration range 0.5 – 100 ?M limit 0.05 (47.4 nM). Validation MIP-levamisole affinity demonstrated superior sensitivity over (non-templated material). successfully detected mixed sample containing satisfactory analytical recoveries. This work first reported use cadmium-free quintenary system levamisole.