Ultrasensitive sliver nanorods array SERS sensor for mercury ions

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Environmental Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Increasing mercury pollution in water necessitates sensitive detection methods.
• Existing methods may lack convenience and sensitivity for trace mercury ions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a portable and ultrasensitive Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) sensor for detecting mercury ions in water.
• To establish a convenient and reliable method for mercury ion analysis.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a SERS sensor using silver nanorod arrays and oligonucleotide probes.
• Utilizing the specific chemical bonding between thymine and mercury ions to induce structural changes in the probe.
• Monitoring SERS signal attenuation of a dye attached to the probe for mercury ion detection.

Main Results:

• The SERS sensor exhibited a linear response for mercury ions over a wide detection range (1 pM to 1 μM).
• An ultrasensitive detection limit of 0.16 pM was achieved.
• The sensor demonstrated high specificity for Hg²⁺ and good recovery rates in real water samples (tap and lake water).

Conclusions:

• The developed portable SERS sensor is highly sensitive and selective for detecting trace mercury ions.
• This technology shows promise for environmental monitoring and food safety applications.
• The sensor's design offers a convenient and effective approach to address mercury pollution concerns.