title: Cavitand-grafted silicon microcantilevers as a universal probe for illicit and designer drugs in water.
abstract: The direct, clean, and unbiased transduction of molecular recognition into a readable and reproducible response is the biggest challenge associated to the use of synthetic receptors in sensing. All possible solutions demand the mastering of molecular recognition at the solid-liquid interface as prerequisite. The socially relevant issue of screening amine-based illicit and designer drugs is addressed by nanomechanical recognition at the silicon-water interface. The methylamino moieties of different drugs are all first recognized by a single cavitand receptor through a synergistic set of weak interactions. The peculiar recognition ability of the cavitand is then transferred with high fidelity and robustness on silicon microcantilevers and harnessed to realize a nanomechanical device for label-free detection of these drugs in water.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica, Università degli Studi di Parma and INSTM Udr Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 17A, 43124 Parma (Italy).
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Biavardi
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Federici
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tudisco
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Menozzi
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Massera
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sottini
authors.forename: Guglielmo G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Condorelli
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bergese
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dalcanale
mesh_terms: D015198:Designer Drugs / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D015394:Molecular Structure; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry*; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D015198:Designer Drugs; D014867:Water; D008694:Methamphetamine; D012825:Silicon
keywords: cantilevers; cavitands; designer drugs; illicit drugs; molecular recognition