Gap controlled self-assembly Au@Ag@Au NPs for SERS assay of thiram

Self-assembled C-Ag hybrid nanoparticle on nanoporous GaN enabled ultra-high enhancement factor SERS sensor for sensitive thiram detection

Considering pesticide residues cause significant harm to public health and the environment, developing a simple, sensitive, and reliable approach to pesticide residue detection to address this issue is necessary. In this study, an ultrasensitive and reliable surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensor was developed using cetylpyridinium chloride as a protecting and reducing agent for the in situ synthesis and self-assembly of C-Ag nanoparticles on nanoporous GaN for the quantitative detection of thiram. A systematic investigation of the performance of the SERS sensor revealed that the SERS sensor delivered a limit of detection (LOD) of 10-14 M and an enhancement factor of up to 1.80 × 1011 with reasonable uniformity and reproducibility, with the stability of the SERS sensor demonstrated via long-term storage for up to 22 weeks in air. The enhancement mechanism of the SERS sensor was verified using a finite-difference time-domain simulation. The SERS sensor successfully detected thiram in real samples with an LOD of 10-10 M. Hence, this study provides an effective platform for monitoring food safety and the environment.

Development of aptamer surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy sensor based on Fe3O4@Pt and Au@Ag nanoparticles for the determination of acetamiprid

As a common chlorinated nicotinic pesticide with high insecticidal activity, acetamiprid has been widely used for pest control. However, the irrational use of acetamiprid will pollute the environment and thus affect human health. Therefore, it is crucial to develop a simple, highly sensitive, and rapid method for acetamiprid residue detection. In this study, the capture probe (Fe3O4@Pt-Aptamer) was connected with the signal probe (Au@DTNB@Ag CS-cDNA) to form an assembly with multiple SERS-enhanced effects. Combined with magnetic separation technology, a SERS sensor with high sensitivity and stability was constructed to detect acetamiprid residue. Based on the optimal conditions, the SERS intensity measured at 1333 cm-1 is in relation to the concentration of acetamiprid in the range 2.25 × 10-9-2.25 × 10-5 M, and the calculated limit of detection (LOD) was 2.87 × 10-10 M. There was no cross-reactivity with thiacloprid, clothianidin, nitenpyram, imidacloprid, and chlorpyrifos, indicating that this method has good sensitivity and specificity. Finally, the method was applied to the detection of acetamiprid in cucumber samples, and the average recoveries were 94.19-103.58%, with RSD < 2.32%. The sensor can be used to analyse real samples with fast detection speed, high sensitivity, and high selectivity.

Light-Initiated Imprinted Membrane-Based Biomimetic SERS Sensor toward Selective Detection of Trace MC-LR

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is a severe threat to human and animal health; thus, monitoring it in the environment is essential, especially in water quality protections. Herein, in this work, we synthesize PVDF/CNT/Ag molecular imprinted membranes (PCA-MIMs) via an innovative combination of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) detection, membrane separation, and molecular-imprinted technique toward the analysis of MC-LR in water. In particular, a light-initiated imprint is employed to protect the chemical structure of the MC-LR molecules. Furthermore, in order to ensure the detection sensitivity, the SERS substrates are combined with the membrane via the assistance of magnetism. The effect of synthesis conditions on the SERS sensitivity was investigated in detail. It is demonstrated from the characteristic results that the PCA-MIMs present high sensitivity to the MC-LR molecules with excellent selectivity against the interfere molecules. Results clearly show that the as-prepared PCA-MIMs hold great potential applications to detect trace MC-LR for the protection of water quality.

A highly effective SERS platform formed by the fabrication of Ag@ZIF-8@Au nanoparticles for rapid detection of acetamiprid in environment

The unreasonable spraying and random migration of acetamiprid may cause pollution of crops, soil and water resources in the environment, resulting in threatening ecosystem and human health. However, the monitoring of acetamiprid using mass spectrum in the environment encounters challenges due to high-cost instruments and complex processing time. Herein, we fabricated a rapid and reliable SERS method based on Ag@ZIF-8@Au platforms for tracing acetamiprid residues in the environment. In this method, a MOF material named ZIF-8 is coated with silver nanoparticles and distributed internally between AgNPs and AuNPs to enhance Raman signal, which can enrich pesticide molecules into the hotspots area provided by noble material and helps avoid the oxidation of silver nanoparticles. High sensitivity (LOD of 9.027 × 10-10 M for acetamiprid, and SERS enhancement factor of 4.3 × 107), excellent reproducibility (6.496% or 7.198% RSD for 30 random points) and superior stability (3.127% RSD for 6 weeks) were achieved using the proposed method. Acetamiprid with concentrations from 10-4 to 10-9 M were successfully detected by SERS method. Furthermore, the linear detection models of acetamiprid in different environment matrices (lake water, tea leaves, tea garden soil, oranges and oranges orchard soil) were established and all the correlation coefficient (R2) were higher than or equal to 95%, indicating the excellent adaptability of Ag@ZIF-8@Au platform in environment. The randomly spiked concentrations of acetamiprid were also tested with good recovery values and low relative error values, further confirming the reliability of the detection method.

Preparation of cellulose-based flexible SERS and its application for rapid and ultra-sensitive detection of thiram on fruits and vegetables

In response to the prevalent issue of thiram as a common pesticide residue on the surface of fruits and vegetables, our research team employed an acidic hydrated metal salt low co-fusion solvent to dissolve cellulose lysis slurry. Subsequently, a regenerated cellulose membrane (RCM) was successfully prepared via sol-gel method. Uniformly sized Ag nanoparticles (NPs) were deposited on RCM utilizing the continuous ion layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) technique. The resulting Ag NPs/RCM flexible surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates exhibited a minimum detection limit of 5 × 10-9 M for Rhodamine 6G (R6G), demonstrating good uniformity (RSD = 4.86 %) and reproducibility (RSD = 3.07 %). Moreover, the substrate displayed a remarkable sensitivity of 10-10 M toward thiram standard solution. Given its inherent flexibility, the substrate proves advantageous for the detection of three-dimensional environments such as fruit and vegetable surfaces, and its practicality has been confirmed in the detection of thiram residue on apples, tomatoes, pears, and other fruits and vegetables.

One-step fabrication of flexible polyamide@Ag-dodecanethiol membranes for highly sensitive SERS detection of thiram

The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is an effective spectral technology based on Raman scattering, but in practice, the commonly used SERS substrates suffer from low sensitivity and poor stability. In order to overcome these limitations, the SERS substrates were prepared from hydrophobic modification of dodecanethiol (C12) coupled with a flexible substrate, which was then used for pesticides detection in water. A flexible PA@Ag-C12 substrate with surface functionalization has been obtained. This work aims to investigate the self-assembly of Ag NPs modified with C12 onto polyamide (PA) membranes. Initially, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to analyze the substrate's morphology. Then with the help of an energy-dispersive spectrometer, sulfur content of C12-modified Ag NPs was analyzed. In order to determine the hydrophobicity of the modified Ag NPs, the contact angle was used. The results indicate that the gap between Ag NPs on PA membrane can be effectively controlled in order to prevent Ag NPs from aggregating. Furthermore, the finite-difference time-domain analysis indicated that the PA@Ag-C12 substrate exhibited a stronger electromagnetic enhancement effect than the PA@Ag substrate. By reducing NPs gaps on the PA membrane, the number of 'hot spots' increased, and the SERS performance of the substrate was improved as a result. According to the results of this study, this method can greatly reduce the manufacturing costs and time costs of the SERS substrate while maintaining the original uniformity. The SERS performance of PA@Ag-C12 was found to be three orders of magnitude better than that of PA@Ag direct self-assembled substrate, and the detection limit for Rhodamine 6G (R6G) was approximately 8.47 × 10-14M. On the basis of the PA@Ag-C12 substrate, thiram is detectable at a detection limit of 5.88 × 10-11M with a high degree of sensitivity and repeatability.

Sensitive determination of thiram in apple samples using a ZIF-67 modified Si/Au@Ag composite as a SERS substrate

Substrate materials with high sensitivity and storage stability are crucial for the practical analytical application of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) techniques. In this work, a SERS-active substrate (Si/Au@Ag/ZIF-67) was fabricated with a metal-organic framework (ZIF-67) on a plasmonic surface (Si/Au@Ag) via self-assembly. The as-prepared material combined the properties of the abundant hotspots of the Au@Ag nanoparticles and the excellent adsorption performance of ZIF-67 for organic molecules. The synergy leads to high sensitivity of the composite substrate with a low detection limit for 4-aminothiophenol (a typical Raman reporter molecule) down to 2.0 × 10-9 M and the analytical enhancement factor (AEF) of the SERS substrate is 3.4 × 106. Moreover, the substrates exhibited good repeatability, high reproducibility, and reliable stability due to the MOF coating. The SERS signal was stable after 60 days of storage at room temperature. Ultimately, the optimal Si/Au@Ag/ZIF-67 was applied as a SERS sensor to analyze thiram, and the results showed a linear concentration range from 10-7 to 10-5 M with good linearity (R2 = 0.9934). The recoveries of thiram in spiked apple juice were in the range of 95.7-102.3%, with relative standard deviations less than 4.3%. These results predict that the proposed SERS substrates may hold great potential for the detection of environmental and food pollution in practical applications.

A Novel SPR Immunosensor Based on Dual Signal Amplification Strategy for Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Protein

Since the global outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), it has spread rapidly around the world. The nucleocapsid (N) protein is one of the most abundant SARS-CoV-2 proteins. Therefore, a sensitive and effective detection method for SARS-CoV-2 N protein is the focus of research. Here, we developed a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor based on the dual signal-amplification strategy of Au@Ag@Au nanoparticles (NPs) and graphene oxide (GO). Additionally, a sandwich immunoassay was utilized to sensitively and efficiently detect SARS-CoV-2 N protein. On the one hand, Au@Ag@Au NPs have a high refractive index and the capability to electromagnetically couple with the plasma waves propagating on the surface of gold film, which are harnessed for amplifying the SPR response signal. On the other hand, GO, which has the large specific surface area and the abundant oxygen-containing functional groups, could provide unique light absorption bands that can enhance plasmonic coupling to further amplify the SPR response signal. The proposed biosensor could efficiently detect SARS-CoV-2 N protein for 15 min and the detection limit for SARS-CoV-2 N protein was 0.083 ng/mL, with a linear range of 0.1 ng/mL~1000 ng/mL. This novel method can meet the analytical requirements of artificial saliva simulated samples, and the developed biosensor had a good anti-interference capability.

A surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensor for the detection of benzo[a]pyrene in foods based on a gold nanostars@reduced graphene oxide substrate

In this study, a simple and sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensor based on gold nanostars@reduced graphene oxide (AuNS@rGO) was successfully developed for the detection of benzo[a]pyrene in foods. The detection strategy involved benzo[a]pyrene adsorption on reduced graphene oxide, followed SERS detection of adsorbed molecules. Owing to the large electric fields generated by the gold nanostars under laser irradiation, which greatly amplified the Raman signals of benzo[a]pyrene, very high sensitivity for the target analyte was achieved. Under optimized conditions, the SERS sensor exhibited a wide linear detection range for benzo[a]pyrene (from 0.1 μg L^-1 to 10000 μg L^-1), with a low limit of detection of 0.0028 μg L^-1. Chicken samples spiked with benzo[a]pyrene were assayed using the sensor, with recoveries ranging from 89.20% to 100.80%. The benzo[a]pyrene content in roasted mutton sample was quantified using the SERS sensor and a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method, with similar results being obtained.

SERS-based immunosensor for E. coli contaminants detection in milk using silver-coated nanoporous silicon substrates

The dairy sector is frequently affected by contagious and environmental factors that spread between animals by numerous means and induce the inflammatory disease of bovine mastitis (BM). Herein, silver decorated porous silicon (Ag-pSi) SERS platform was designed for rapid and reliable Escherichia coli (predominant BM pathogen) detection in various milk origins. The inherent surface void and pore morphology were physically optimized to augment the SERS effect using 4-aminothiphenol (4ATP) while achieving an enhancement factor >4.6 × 10⁷. An indirect immunoassay evaluated the residual unreacted antibodies using an optimized 4ATP/Ag-pSi SERS platform modified with secondary antibodies. Under optimized conditions, the porous substrate offered high sensitivity toward target bacteria detection of 3 CFU mL^-1 and linear response of 10¹-10⁵ CFU mL^-1. Moreover, the selectivity and specificity of the designed sensing platform were cross-validated against other interfering bacteria without compromising its performance efficiencies. Finally, the applicability of the developed system for real-life conditions was elucidated in different milk samples (bovine, goat, sheep) with recovery values of 78-115% compared to the conventional culture technique. Considering the complex media analysis, the miniaturized SERS platform is highly reliable, rapid and accurate that could be applicable for routine on-site analysis of various emerging pathogens relevant to BM management.

AuNPs-COFs Core-Shell Reversible SERS Nanosensor for Monitoring Intracellular Redox Dynamics

The redox homeostasis in living cells is greatly crucial for maintaining the redox biological function, whereas accurate and dynamic detection of intracellular redox states still remains challenging. Herein, a reversible surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanosensor based on covalent organic frameworks (COFs) was prepared to dynamically monitor the redox processes in living cells. The nanosensor was fabricated by modifying the redox-responsive Raman reporter molecule, 2-Mercaptobenzoquione (2-MBQ), on the surface of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), followed by the in situ coating of COFs shell. 2-MBQ molecules can repeatedly and quickly undergo reduction and oxidation when successively treated with ascorbic acid (AA) and hypochlorite (ClO^-) (as models of reductive and oxidative species, respectively), which resulted in the reciprocating changes of SERS spectra at 900 cm^-1. The construction of the COFs shell provided the nanosensor with great stability and anti-interference capability, thus reliably visualizing the dynamics of intracellular redox species like AA and ClO^- by SERS nanosensor. Taken together, the proposed SERS strategy opens up the prospects to investigate the signal transduction pathways and pathological processes related with redox dynamics.

Magnetic-Core-Shell-Satellite Fe3O4-Au@Ag@(Au@Ag) Nanocomposites for Determination of Trace Bisphenol A Based on Surface-Enhanced Resonance Raman Scattering (SERRS)

As a typical representative of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), bisphenol A (BPA) is a common persistent organic pollutant in the environment that can induce various diseases even at low concentrations. Herein, the magnetic Fe₃O₄-Au@Ag@(Au@Ag) nanocomposites (CSSN NCs) have been prepared by self-assembly method and applied for ultra-sensitive surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) detection of BPA. A simple and rapid coupling reaction of Pauly's reagents and BPA not only solved the problem of poor affinity between BPA and noble metals, but also provided the SERRS activity of BPA azo products. The distribution of hot spots and the influence of incremental introduction of noble metals on the performance of SERRS were analyzed by a finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithm. The abundance of hot spots generated by core-shell-satellite structure and outstanding SERRS performance of Au@Ag nanocrystals were responsible for excellent SERRS sensitivity of CSSN NCs in the results. The limit of detection (LOD) of CSSN NCs for BPA azo products was as low as 10^-10 M. In addition, the saturation magnetization (Ms) value of CSSN NCs was 53.6 emu·g^-1, which could be rapidly enriched and collected under the condition of external magnetic field. These magnetic core-shell-satellite NCs provide inspiration idea for the tailored design of ultra-sensitive SERRS substrates, and thus exhibit limitless application prospects in terms of pollutant detection, environmental monitoring, and food safety.