Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are used as recognition elements in biochemical sensors. In a fluorescence-based MIP sensor system, it can be difficult to distinguish the analyte fluorescence from the fluorescence of the polymer itself. We studied steady-state fluorescence anisotropy of anthracene imprinted in a polymer (polyurethane) matrix. Vertically polarized excitation light was incident on MIP films coated on silicon wafers; vertically and horizontally polarized emission was measured. We compared the fluorescence anisotropy of MIPs with imprinted molecules, MIPs with the imprinted molecules extracted, MIPs with rebound molecules, and non-imprinted control polymers. It is shown that differences in fluorescence anisotropy between the polymers and imprinted fluorescent molecules may provide a means to discriminate the fluorescence of analyte from that of the background polymer.
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