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A SERS aptasensor based on porous Au-NC nanoballoons for Staphylococcus aureus detection
Beibei Xie1, Zhi-Peng Wang2, Ruixue Zhang1
1Chongqing Key Laboratory of Natural Product Synthesis and Drug Research, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University, 55 Daxuecheng South Road, 401331, Shapingba, Chongqing, PR China.
Analytica Chimica Acta
|December 3, 2021
Summary
Researchers created novel nitrogen-doped carbon nanoballoons loaded with gold nanoparticles (Au-NC-NBs) for highly sensitive bacteria detection. This surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) aptasensor offers improved performance in real samples.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Development of sensitive and selective biosensors is crucial for food safety and clinical diagnostics.
- Existing surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensors face limitations in detection range and sensitivity.
- Nitrogen-doped carbon materials and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) show promise for SERS applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel SERS aptasensor using hollow and porous nitrogen-doped carbon nanoballoons loaded with AuNPs (Au-NC-NBs).
- To evaluate the performance of the Au-NC-NBs SERS aptasensor for bacterial detection.
- To demonstrate the applicability of the sensor in real food and biological samples.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of hollow and porous nitrogen-doped carbon nanoballoons.
- Loading of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) onto the carbon nanoballoons.
- Development and characterization of the SERS aptasensor using Au-NC-NBs.
- Testing the sensor's performance for bacterial detection, including linear range, detection limit, and selectivity.
- Validation of the sensor with real food and biological samples.
Main Results:
- Successfully synthesized Au-NC-NBs with large specific surface area and high N and Au content.
- The Au-NC-NBs SERS aptasensor exhibited a wide linear range (10 to 10^7 cells/mL) and a low detection limit (3 cells/mL).
- The sensor demonstrated superior selectivity for detecting bacteria compared to previously reported sensors.
- Excellent performance was achieved in detecting bacteria in real food and biological samples.
Conclusions:
- The developed Au-NC-NBs SERS aptasensor offers enhanced sensitivity and selectivity for bacterial detection.
- This facile and versatile strategy for constructing SERS biosensors by combining Au nanoparticles and carbon materials has significant potential.
- The sensor shows great applied potential in food safety monitoring and clinical diagnosis.
