Efficient sensing of saccharin through interference synthesis of gum ghatti capped silver nanoparticles

The presence of saccharin (SH) could be efficiently sensed (in the concentration range of 5 × 10^-5 M to 5 × 10^-1 M) through the interference synthesis of gum ghatti (GG) capped silver nanoparticles (GGAgNps). The synthesis used sodium borohydride and gum ghatti (GG) as the reducing and capping agents respectively. The strong hydrogen-bonding recognition between GG and SH was responsible for the interference. The intensity of the SPR peak of GGAgNps was found linearly dependent on [SH]. The SH detection was further enhanced when combo capping comprising of GG and chitosan (Ch) (in 1:1 weight ratio) was used while the use of gum acacia (GA) in place of Ch (in combo) decreased the detection sensitivity. The combo polysaccharide solutions had non-Newtonian behaviour and shear thinning property like GG. The method was also applied for the successful detection of SH in commercially available real juice samples.