Design of a core-shell molecularly imprinted polymer for highly selective detection of daclatasvir dihydrochloride in tablets and human plasma

• A novel sol–gel synthetic approach to create a core–shell molecularly imprinted polymer for daclatasvir . • The sensor exhibited high selectivity for daclatasvir in the presence of various interferants. • The method was effectively used to quantify daclatasvir in tablet formulations and human plasma . Core/shell surface molecular imprinting technology signifies an emerging trend in the field of analytical sciences. A disposable, portable screen-printed core/shell molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) sensor for the analysis of the antiviral drug “daclatasvir dihydrochloride” (DAC) was fabricated. The core/shell MIP was developed on the surface of vinylated silica nanoparticles (Si-NPs) that have been synthesized by Stober’s method. Through copolymerization of methacrylic acid, the cross-linker ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), and a free radical initiator, with DAC serving as the template, the resulting shell was created and applied to the surface of silica nanoparticles. The proposed core/shell nanoparticles’ chemical composition and morphology were analyzed through Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The sensor’s calibration plot was linear in the range of 1.00 × 10 −6 to 1.00 × 10 −2 mol/L and a slope of 36.44 mV/decade. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.35 × 10 −6 and 1.00 × 10 −6 mol/L; respectively. Examination of spiked biological samples was used to monitor the sensor’s applicability for detecting DAC in real samples where recoveries ranged from 99.51 to 114.54 %. This brand-new sensor can be employed for point-of-care applications in biomedical research.