High-throughput sulfide sensing with colorimetric analysis of single Au-Ag core-shell nanoparticles

We present a high-throughput strategy for sensitive detection of H2S by using individual spherical Au-Ag core-shell plasmonic nanoparticles (PNPs) as molecular probes. This method is based on quantification of color variation of the single PNPs resulting from formation of Ag2S on the particle surface. The spectral response range of the 51 nm PNP was specifically designed to match the most sensitive region of color cameras. A high density of immobilized PNPs and rapid color RGB (red/green/blue) analysis allow a large number of individual PNPs to be monitored simultaneously, leading to reliable quantification of color change of the PNPs. A linear logarithmic dependence on sulfide concentrations from 50 nM to 100 μM was demonstrated by using this colorimetric assay. By designing PNPs with various surface chemistries, similar strategies could be developed to detect other chemically or biologically important molecules.