Fig. 2

Morphological analysis of the MIP NPs. SEM (a, b) and AFM (c, d) analysis gave morphological information on the MIP NPs. SEM images indicated a mean size of 55 ± 7 nm. The AFM measured a mean size of 27.4 ± 8.7 nm for the nanoparticles (d the length distribution in nm of five NPs was: #1 34.3; #2 25.2; #3 22.6; #3 20.5; #4 41.7; #5 20.1). The MIP NPs deposition indicates the presence of both single nanoparticle (ca. 22 nm) and small aggregates of dimensions <100 nm. The data are in agreement with the results of the DLS analysis