Molecularly imprinted fluorescent polymers for direct detection of glyphosate, its degradation products, and metabolites

A layer structure comprising a solid substrate carrying a molecularly imprinted polymer comprising a fluorescent indicator,

• wherein the molecularly imprinted polymer is configured to bind a glyphosate analyte, the glyphosate analyte being selected from:
• glyphosate, a degradation product of glyphosate, a metabolite of glyphosate, or a metabolite of the degradation product;
• wherein a fluorescence property of the molecularly imprinted polymer is configured to change upon binding of the glyphosate analyte, wherein the glyphosate analyte is selected from:
• Glyphosate (GPS);
• Methylphosphonic acid (MPA);
• Aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), 3-Methylphosphinicopropionic acid (MPPA), Butylphosphonic acid (BPA), N-methylglyphosate (MGPS), N-(phosphonomethyl) iminodiacetic acid (PMIDA), hydroxymethyl phosphonic acid (HMPA), and bis-(phosphonomethyl) amine (BPMA);
• and wherein the molecularly imprinted polymer is an organic polymer comprising elements selected from the group consisting of:
• C, H, N, O, P, and S;
• and wherein the fluorescent indicator is configured as a monomer or a crosslinker in the molecularly imprinted polymer, and wherein the monomer or the crosslinker is configured to be at least covalently linked within a polymer network of the molecularly imprinted polymer during a synthesis of the polymer network, wherein the polymer network comprises the molecularly imprinted polymer and wherein the fluorescent entity of the fluorescent indicator is selected from:
• a Coumarin;
• a Dipyrromethene or a BODIPY;
• a Pyrromethane;
• a Benzofuran;
• a Pyridine;
• a Naphthalimide;
• a Benzoxazole;
• a Benzoxadiazole;
• a Benzindole;
• a Oxazine;
• a Phenazine;
• a Perylene;
• an Azulene;
• a Squaraine;
• a Pyrylium perchlorate, tetrafluoroborate or hexafluorophosphate;
• a Thiopyrylium perchlorate, tetrafluoroborate or hexafluorophosphate;
• a Ruthenium complex with any combination of three ligands (2,2′-bipyridine) or tri-(1,10-phenanthroline) or two ligands (2,2′:
• 6′,2″-terpyridine) and two counterions perchlorate, tetrafluoroborate or hexafluorophosphate;
• an Osmium complex with any combination of three ligands (2,2′-bipyridine) or tri-(1,10-phenanthroline) or two ligands (2,2′:
• 6′,2″-terpyridine) and two counterions perchlorate, tetrafluoroborate or hexafluorophosphate;
• a bis(2-(pyridin-2-yl)phenyl) iridium complex with any combination of a third ligand (2,2′-bipyridine) or tri-(1,10-phenanthroline) and a counterion perchlorate, tetrafluoroborate or hexafluorophosphate;
• or wherein the fluorescent indicator comprises a substance comprising a structure according to formula I, II, III or IV: