Florfenicol (FF) raises significant human health and environmental concerns due to its toxicity to the hematology system and the potential spread of antibiotic-resistant genes. Here, a highly sensitive molecularly imprinted photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor, featuring an In2O3/Bi2S3 S-scheme heterojunction, is proposed to detect FF without an external voltage supply. Compared with conventional II-type heterojunctions, S-scheme heterojunctions efficiently promote carrier separation and enhance the redox capability of the photocatalytic system. This allows more dissolved O2 and H2O molecules to participate in the redox reaction, resulting in an amplified and stabilized photocurrent response. The electron transfer in the S-scheme heterojunction is confirmed via electron spin resonance (ESR). With the molecular imprinting technique, this PEC platform exhibits exceptional selectivity, wide linear range (1.0 × 10-4-1.0 × 104 ng mL-1), low detection limit (6.4 × 10-5 ng mL-1), and applicability in real milk and chicken samples. This work not only showcases a PEC platform for accurately and portably detecting drugs but also proposes a viable approach for designing S-scheme heterojunctions in sensing analysis.
Keywords: Bi2S3; In2O3; S-scheme heterojunction; florfenicol; molecularly imprinted polymers; photoelectrochemical sensor.