Dual Function Surface-Enhanced Raman Active Extractor for the Detection of Environmental Contaminants

2009 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 571-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepak Bhandari ◽  
Matthew J. Walworth ◽  
Michael J. Sepaniak

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has lagged behind other analytical techniques utilized in routine chemical analyses despite the information-rich spectra produced. This can be attributed in part to the difficulties in finding effective substrates that provide high sensitivity and highly reproducible SERS responses. Herein, we have developed a silver-coated polypropylene filter (AgPPF) as a highly sensitive and promising SERS substrate for the detection of environmentally significant chemicals, including selected pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and possible endocrine disruptors. The present approach involves preconcentration studies of selected environmental compounds with 3M's High Performance Extraction Disc Cartridges (HPEDCs) and characterization of the same HPEDC filters as a SERS substrate. The polypropylene microfiber prefilter that encloses the empore extraction medium is modified by physical vapor deposition with silver and used as the SERS substrate. The HPEDC itself is used to concentrate analytes into a desired concentration range, achieving maximum sensitivity. Surface roughness and nanoscale structure of silver films on the microfiber were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The mass thickness of the silver and volume were optimized for the highest SERS signal using rhodamine 6G as a model compound. A novel component of our HPEDC studies involves the hyphenation of the concentration protocol and SERS. The hyphenation of sample concentration and SERS allows more sensitive surface-enhanced detection. Mitoxanthrone dihydrochloride, crystal violet dye, 4-aminobenzoic acid, and rhodamine 6G were employed to study the sensitive SERS detection and were observed as low as 5 × 10−8 M to 1 × 10−10 M without any preconcentration step. Additionally, SERS signatures of some flavonoids, targeted as possible Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals by the US Environmental Protection Agency, such as Apigenin and Daidzein, are reported along with their sensitive detection down to ng/mL for the first time with preconcentration.

2019 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 168-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Awatef Ouhibi ◽  
Maroua Saadaoui ◽  
Nathalie Lorrain ◽  
Mohammed Guendouz ◽  
Noureddine Raouafi ◽  
...  

In this work, we combined a hierarchical nano-array effect of silicon nanowires (SiNWs) with a metallic surface of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to design a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) scattering substrate for sensitive detection of Rhodamine 6G (R6G) which is a typical dye for fluorescence probes. The SiNWs were prepared by Metal-Assisted Chemical Etching (MACE) of n-Si (100) wafers. The Doehlert design methodology was used for planning the experiment and analyzing the experimental results. Thanks to this methodology, the R6G SERS response has been optimized by studying the effects of the silver nitrate concentration, silver nitrate and R6G immersion times and their interactions. The immersion time in R6G solution stands out as the most of influential factor on the SERS response.


2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Quynh-Ngan Luong ◽  
Tran Cao Dao ◽  
Thi Thu Vu ◽  
Manh Cuong Nguyen ◽  
Nhu Duong Nguyen

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is increasingly being used as a method for detecting traces of contaminants in a variety of specimens. In order to maximize SERS’s performance, the most important thing is to have highly active SERS substrates. In this report, we present a simple method for synthesizing silver nanodendrites (AgNDs) on the surface of a copper (Cu) plate using chemical deposition method. The results showed that, after fabrication, a large number of fern-like AgNDs formed on the Cu surface. These AgNDs are distributed evenly across the entire Cu surface with a relatively thick density. The prepared AgNDs were applied as SERS substrates for detecting Rhodamine 6G (R6G) in chili powders. The results showed that, using the prepared AgNDs substrates, as low as 10−10 M R6G in chili powders can be detected. This demonstrates the applicability of fabricated AgNDs as a highly active SERS substrate.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (24) ◽  
pp. 7443
Author(s):  
Jorge Jimenez-Cisneros ◽  
Juan Pablo Galindo-Lazo ◽  
Miguel Angel Mendez-Rojas ◽  
Jessica Rosaura Campos-Delgado ◽  
Monica Cerro-Lopez

As surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) continues developing to be a powerful analytical tool for several probes, four important aspects to make it more accessible have to be addressed: low-cost, reproducibility, high sensibility, and recyclability. Titanium dioxide nanotubes (TiO2 NTs) prepared by anodization have attracted interest in this field because they can be used as safe solid supports to deposit metal nanoparticles to build SERS substrate nanoplatforms that meet these four desired aspects. TiO2 NTs can be easily prepared and, by varying different synthesis parameters, their dimensions and specific features of their morphology can be tuned allowing them to support metal nanoparticles of different sizes that can achieve a regular dispersion on their surface promoting high enhancement factors (EF) and reproducibility. Besides, the TiO2 photocatalytic properties enable the substrate’s self-cleaning property for recyclability. In this review, we discuss the different methodological strategies that have been tested to achieve a high performance of the SERS substrates based on TiO2 NTs as solid support for the three main noble metal nanoparticles mainly studied for this purpose: Ag, Au, and Pt.


Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 886
Author(s):  
Massimo Rippa ◽  
Riccardo Castagna ◽  
Domenico Sagnelli ◽  
Ambra Vestri ◽  
Giorgia Borriello ◽  
...  

Brucella is a foodborne pathogen globally affecting both the economy and healthcare. Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) nano-biosensing can be a promising strategy for its detection. We combined high-performance quasi-crystal patterned nanocavities for Raman enhancement with the use of covalently immobilized Tbilisi bacteriophages as high-performing bio-receptors. We coupled our efficient SERS nano-biosensor to a Raman system to develop an on-field phage-based bio-sensing platform capable of monitoring the target bacteria. The developed biosensor allowed us to identify Brucella abortus in milk by our portable SERS device. Upon bacterial capture from samples (104 cells), a signal related to the pathogen recognition was observed, proving the concrete applicability of our system for on-site and in-food detection.


Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 587
Author(s):  
Zirui Wang ◽  
Yanyan Huo ◽  
Tingyin Ning ◽  
Runcheng Liu ◽  
Zhipeng Zha ◽  
...  

Hyperbolic metamaterials (HMMs), supporting surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), and highly confined bulk plasmon polaritons (BPPs) possess promising potential for application as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates. In the present study, a composite SERS substrate based on a multilayer HMM and gold-nanoparticle (Au-NP) layer was fabricated. A strong electromagnetic field was generated at the nanogaps of the Au NPs under the coupling between localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and a BPP. Additionally, a simulation of the composite structure was assessed using COMSOL; the results complied with those achieved through experiments: the SERS performance was enhanced, while the enhancing rate was downregulated, with the extension of the HMM periods. Furthermore, this structure exhibited high detection performance. During the experiments, rhodamine 6G (R6G) and malachite green (MG) acted as the probe molecules, and the limits of detection of the SERS substrate reached 10−10 and 10−8 M for R6G and MG, respectively. Moreover, the composite structure demonstrated prominent reproducibility and stability. The mentioned promising results reveal that the composite structure could have extensive applications, such as in biosensors and food safety inspection.


Nanomaterials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 1531 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shi Bai ◽  
Yongjun Du ◽  
Chunyan Wang ◽  
Jian Wu ◽  
Koji Sugioka

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has advanced over the last four decades and has become an attractive tool for highly sensitive analysis in fields such as medicine and environmental monitoring. Recently, there has been an urgent demand for reusable and long-lived SERS substrates as a means of reducing the costs associated with this technique To this end, we fabricated a SERS substrate comprising a silicon nanowire array coated with silver nanoparticles, using metal-assisted chemical etching followed by photonic reduction. The morphology and growth mechanism of the SERS substrate were carefully examined and the performance of the fabricated SERS substrate was tested using rhodamine 6G and dopamine hydrochloride. The data show that this new substrate provides an enhancement factor of nearly 1 × 108. This work demonstrates that a silicon nanowire array coated with silver nanoparticles is sensitive and sufficiently robust to allow repeated reuse. These results suggest that this newly developed technique could allow SERS to be used in many commercial applications.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Chen Wang ◽  
Yueqian Wan ◽  
Yong Su ◽  
Yafei Cai ◽  
Shengjun Xiong ◽  
...  

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has attracted lots of interest in academic and industrial fields in recent years. The improvement in long-time sensitivity and repeatability is highly demanded by the on-site applications. Herein, we present an expedient SERS strip tactic with these desired advantages. Specifically, the tactic utilized the outstanding stability of colloidal particles to maintain the SERS materials during the storage. Upon usage, the strip is rapidly prepared on-site, and then the targets were sampled with a dip-coating and heating method, which is designed to standardize the whole detection process with the sensitivity kept. Thanks to the tactic, only one-third of SERS sensitivity decay was observed for rhodamine 6G after half a year. Besides rhodamine 6G, the SERS spectra of different animal blood samples were also investigated with the SERS strip tactic, and a species-based discrimination capability was preliminarily demonstrated.


Nanomaterials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 1236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giulia Neri ◽  
Enza Fazio ◽  
Placido Giuseppe Mineo ◽  
Angela Scala ◽  
Anna Piperno

The development of graphene (G) substrates without damage on the sp2 network allows to tune the interactions with plasmonic noble metal surfaces to finally enhance surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) effect. Here, we describe a new graphene/gold nanocomposite obtained by loading gold nanoparticles (Au NPs), produced by pulsed laser ablation in liquids (PLAL), on a new nitrogen-doped graphene platform (G-NH2). The graphene platform was synthesized by direct delamination and chemical functionalization of graphite flakes with 4-methyl-2-p-nitrophenyl oxazolone, followed by reduction of p-nitrophenyl groups. Finally, the G-NH2/Au SERS platform was prepared by using the conventional aerography spraying technique. SERS properties of G-NH2/Au were tested using Rhodamine 6G (Rh6G) and Dopamine (DA) as molecular probes. Raman features of Rh6G and DA are still detectable for concentration values down to 1 × 10−5 M and 1 × 10−6 M respectively.


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