Elaboration of levothyroxine-selective molecularly imprinted nanostructured films

FOOKES, FEDERICO; BUSATTO, CARLOS; FIDALGO, M. MARTA; ESTENOZ, DIANA; CASIS, NATALIA

IRANIAN POLYMER JOURNAL

Springer International Publishing AG

Año: 2025

1026-1265

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are synthetic polymers with predetermined selectivity toward a given analyte or a group of structurally related species due to the creation of highly specific sites formed during the synthesis. Levothyroxine (T4), a thyroid hormone, has numerous vital functions in the body and is usually found in a healthy adult at levels between 100-200 ng/dL. These low concentrations determine the chemical analysis since they make it difficult to find efficient methods for T4 detection and quantification. In the current work, nanostructured MIPs were synthesized from deposits of SiO2 particles for the selective binding of T4. The colloidal deposits were fabricated by vertical lifting deposition and the MIPs were elaborated using acrylic acid as the functional monomer and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as crosslinker agent. The swelling capacity of hydrogel films was studied at different pH, their morphological and structural characterization was performed by SEM and FTIR analysis, and their T4 adsorption capacity was evaluated through recognition and swelling studies. The optical properties of the developed materials were characterized recording their UV-visible reflectance spectra. The results showed that MIPs exhibited selectivity to the template if compared with similar molecules such as T3. After incubation, the reflectance spectra of the films showed a shift of the Bragg diffraction peak that correlated with the presence of T4. Owing to the optical response and the capability of binding T4 hormone, the materials elaborated in the current work will be applied in the development of fast response photonic sensors for the quantification of T4 in different matrices.