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Updated: Aug 28, 2025
Author Spotlight: Development and Application of SERS Flexible Substrates Using Synthesized AgNPs
Published on: November 17, 2023
Detection of melamine by using carboxyl-functionalized Ag-COF as a novel SERS substrate
Zichen Yang1, Chaoqun Ma2, Jiao Gu2
1School of Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China; School of Internet of Things Engineering, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China; Jiangsu Provincial Research Center of Light Industrial Optoelectronic Engineering and Technology, Wuxi, China.
Abstract:
Melamine, a nitrogen-containing organic molecule, has received widespread attention as it had been illegally added in dairy products to increase the content of nitrogen, leading to kidney stones in healthy people after long-term ingestion. Based on SERS technology and Covalent Organic Framework (COF) materials, we developed carboxyl-functionalized Ag-COF-COOH materials as SERS substrates for the detection of melamine adulteration. Using COF material as a ligand can effectively reduce the influence of interferents in milk. In addition, we investigated two causes of melamine SERS enhancement: the ordered arrangement of Ag NPs and the strong interaction between the substrate and the melamine. The linear range was 1-20 μg/L and the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.68 μg/L in liquid milk due to the high sensitivity and reliability of this method. The results show that this new SERS substrate has great potential for applications in the food surveillance industry.
