An optical fiber caffeine sensor using a molecularly imprinted polymethacrylic acid membrane coated on optical fiber surface as a transducer

Authors

• Josiah W. Miller, Department of Chemistry and Physics, West Texas A&M University, WTAMU Box 60732, Canyon, TX 79016
• Jason D. McCaslin, Department of Chemistry and Physics, West Texas A&M University, WTAMU Box 60732, Canyon, TX 79016
• Shiquan Tao, Department of Chemistry and Physics, West Texas A&M University, WTAMU Box 60732, Canyon, TX 79016Follow

Keywords

Caffeine; molecularly imprinted polymer; optical fiber caffeine sensor, polymethacrylic acid; soft drink analysis.

Abstract

Caffeine is a neurotransmitter, important to human health. This compound exists in many food products, has been added to soft drinks, pharmaceutical drugs. For many applications, a field deployable technique for quick detecting caffeine is attractive. In this paper, we report a selective optical fiber caffeine sensor using a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) membrane as a transducer. The membrane extracts/concentrate caffeine from sample solutions significantly improved sensor’s sensitivity with a 95 times sensitivity improvement. The sensor achieved a detection limit of 0.20 µg/mL. This sensor was used to directly analyze caffeine in soft drink products without interference from sample matrix.

Abstract Image

Recommended Citation

Miller, Josiah W.; McCaslin, Jason D.; and Tao, Shiquan (2026) "An optical fiber caffeine sensor using a molecularly imprinted polymethacrylic acid membrane coated on optical fiber surface as a transducer," Journal of Food and Drug Analysis: Vol. 34 : Iss. 3 , Article 1.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.38212/2224-6614.3562

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.