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Updated: Jun 26, 2026

DNA Stable-Isotope Probing (DNA-SIP)
Published on: August 2, 2010
Evidence of natural isotopic distribution from single-molecule SERS
Pablo G Etchegoin1, Eric C Le Ru, Matthias Meyer
1The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand. Pablo.Etchegoin@vuw.ac.nz
Researchers observed natural carbon isotopes using single-molecule surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SM-SERS). This highlights SM-SERS as a unique tool for detecting isotopic changes within a single molecule.
Area of Science:
- Spectroscopy
- Chemical Physics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) enables sensitive molecular detection.
- Single-molecule SERS (SM-SERS) achieves detection at the ultimate limit.
- Isotopic composition can influence molecular properties and spectroscopic signatures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the observation of naturally occurring carbon isotopes using SM-SERS.
- To showcase SM-SERS capability in detecting isotopic variations at the single-molecule level.
- To highlight the utility of SERS in identifying subtle atomic changes.
Main Methods:
- Utilized single-molecule surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SM-SERS).
- Employed a dye molecule with a localized Raman-active vibration in a cyano bond (C≡N).
- Analyzed SERS colloidal liquid to observe spectral shifts.
Main Results:
- Observed a fraction of SM-SERS events with a softened cyano mode frequency.
- The observed frequency shift aligns with the natural substitution of carbon-12 (¹²C) by carbon-13 (¹³C).
- Demonstrated isotopic editing by nature, not artificial enrichment.
Conclusions:
- SM-SERS can detect the natural isotopic spread of carbon in a single molecule.
- This study confirms SERS as a powerful spectroscopic tool for isotopic analysis at the single-molecule level.
- The findings underscore the potential of SERS for investigating molecular composition and variations.
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