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Development of a Low-Cost Paper-Based Platform for Coffee Ring-Assisted SERS
Anna S Rourke-Funderburg1,2, Alec B Walter1,2, Braden Carroll2
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37240-0002, United States.
ACS Omega
|September 25, 2023
Summary
This study introduces a simple, low-cost wax-printed paper platform for coffee ring-assisted Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS). This method enhances diagnostic reproducibility for both chemical and bacterial detection at the point of care.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Point-of-care diagnostics require sensitive, affordable, and rapid technologies.
- Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) offers high sensitivity for detecting analytes.
- Reproducibility issues in SERS, caused by nanoparticle-analyte interactions, hinder its clinical application.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a low-cost, easily fabricated platform for reproducible SERS analysis.
- To leverage the coffee ring effect for enhanced analyte concentration and signal consistency.
- To validate the platform for both chemical and biological sample analysis.
Main Methods:
- A two-step fabrication process using wax-printed nitrocellulose paper to create a hydrophobic substrate.
- Utilizing gold nanoparticles and optimizing solution composition for effective coffee ring formation.
- SERS analysis of 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA) and *Moraxella catarrhalis* bacteria.
Main Results:
- Achieved a limit of detection of 41.56 nM for MBA.
- Demonstrated enhanced SERS signals from bacterial cell wall components with low spectral variability.
- The developed paper substrate effectively supported the coffee ring effect for improved reproducibility.
Conclusions:
- The wax-printed paper platform offers a simple, low-cost method for coffee ring-assisted SERS.
- This approach enhances reproducibility and sensitivity for point-of-care diagnostics.
- The platform shows promise for diverse chemical and biological sensing applications.
