Built-in potential-regulated and exogenous excited electrochemiluminescence sensor based on dual-monomers molecularly imprinted polymer for the biomimetic detection of thiabendazole

Thiabendazole (TBZ) residues in food pose a serious threat to public health. Herein, an ultrasensitive molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescence sensor (MIECLS) was developed to detect TBZ, using electron autoregulation in nitrogen-doped graphdiyne‑copper nanowires (NGDY-CuNWs) composite luminophore and cyclic amplification strategy of tin disulfide nanosheets (SnS₂NSs). NGDY-CuNWs composite luminophores were formed by spontaneous chemisorption to provide electrochemiluminescence signals, and the charge redistribution in it resulted in a built-in potential that improved the electron transfer and redox reaction rate. The cyclic transformation of electron pairs (Sn²⁺/Sn⁴⁺) on SnS₂NSs catalyzed the generation of sulfate anion radicals to amplify electrochemiluminescence signals. Due to the complementary and synergistic interaction of functional monomers, high affinity imprinted cavities were formed to recognize TBZ. MIECLS had a wide detection range of 1 × 10⁻⁹–1 × 10⁻⁵ mol L⁻¹ with the limit of detection of 1.69 × 10⁻¹⁰ mol L⁻¹ and had huge application potential to detect pesticide residues.