Colorimetric detection of carbenicillin using cationic polythiophene derivatives

Abstract

A water-soluble, polythiophene-based colorimetric sensor was designed for selective and sensitive detection of carbenicillin in HEPES buffer solution. Quaternized quinine was linked to thiophene through bis-functionality benzyl group, which can interact with carbenicillin via electrostatic interaction and geometric match effect. The sensor exhibited a colorimetric signal change upon the addition of carbenicillin because of the formation of more nonplanar structures. However, the addition of other beta-lactam antibiotics or dicarboxylic acids into the sensor solution caused no obvious changes in absorbance intensity ratio. This result may be attributed to the cavity formed by the semi-rigid framework of PTQ2, which is suitable for the special binding with carbenicillin. This novel sensor can effectively distinguish carbenicillin from other beta-lactam antibiotics and has a wide linear range response in HEPES buffer solution. Linear calibration curves are obtained with 0 to 18 μmol/L of HEPES buffer solution, with a limit of detection of 0.54 μmol/L.