A review of SERS coupled microfluidic platforms: From configurations to applications

Microfluidic systems have attracted considerable attention due to their low reagent consumption, short analysis time, and ease of integration in comparison to conventional methods, but still suffer from shortcomings in sensitivity and selectivity. Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) offers several advantages in the detection of compounds, including label-free detection at the single-molecule level, and the narrow Raman peak width for multiplexing. Combining microfluidics with SERS is a viable way to improve their detection sensitivity. Researchers have recently developed several SERS coupled microfluidic platforms with substantial potential for biomolecular detection, cellular and bacterial analysis, and hazardous substance detection. We review the current development of SERS coupled microfluidic platforms, illustrate their detection principles and construction, and summarize the latest applications in biology, environmental protection and food safety. In addition, we innovatively summarize the current status of SERS coupled multi-mode microfluidic platforms with other detection technologies. Finally, we discuss the challenges and countermeasures during the development of SERS coupled microfluidic platforms, as well as predict the future development trend of SERS coupled microfluidic platforms.