Ga-doped carbon quantum dot-sensitized luminol molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescence sensor used for the efficient detection of cypermethrin in aquatic products

The development of new electrochemical sensitizing materials is crucial for rapid detection technology. In this study, gallium-doped carbon quantum dots (Ga@CQDs) were synthesized using a one-pot hydrothermal approach to serve as coreactant for luminol. A molecular-imprinted electroluminescence sensor was prepared for rapid, sensitive cypermethrin (CYP) detection using in-situ electrodeposition. Ga doping reduces CQDs' band gap, boosts conductivity and catalysis, and enhances luminol's ECL signal. The advancement in molecular imprinting technology significantly enhances the sensor's ability to selectively detect CYP, while also providing robust interference resistance. The ECL intensity of the sensor correlated linearly with CYP concentration (0.05–100 μM) under optimal conditions (R 2 = 0.9912, LOD= 0.03 μM). In practical applications, recovery rates of water and aquatic product samples ranged from 86.4 % to 98.0 %, with RSD that did not exceed 8.13 %. A Ga@CQDs-based luminol sensitizing system for molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensors provides a solution for fast, sensitive CYP detection in environmental and aquatic products.