ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a brief discussion on the role of molecular imprinting in optical sensing and its advantages. It starts with a brief introduction of the fundamentals of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) with the role of each element and the synthesis procedures for the fabrication of these synthetic polymers. The chapter discusses the types of molecular imprinting based on the interaction with analyte along with their advantages and disadvantages. It is devoted to the use of molecular imprinting as the sensing element by means of various optical methods and its advantages over the other conventional detection schemes. The chapter discusses the numerous studies reported in the literature for the application of MIPs in the areas of food safety, environmental control, and biomedical applications. It summarizes the role of molecular imprinting in optical sensing technology with their pros, cons, and the future possibilities.
