Improved solution-based SERS detection of creatinine by inducing hydrogen-bonding interaction for effective analyte...

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Solution-based surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is cost-effective but limited by weak biomolecule adsorption.
• Developing sensitive SERS platforms for disease biomarkers is crucial for early detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a highly sensitive solution-based SERS sensing platform for creatinine detection.
• To overcome the limitations of weak adsorption in current SERS techniques.

Main Methods:

• Utilized mercaptopropionic acid (MPA)-capped silver-coated gold nanostars (SGNS@MPA) for enhanced analyte enrichment.
• Employed hydrogen bonding interactions in an alkaline medium (pH 9) to aggregate nanoparticles and amplify SERS signals.
• Quantitatively detected creatinine in noninvasive human fluids (saliva, sweat) under separation-free conditions.

Main Results:

• Achieved a detection limit of 0.1 nM for creatinine with an LOD of 14.6 pM.
• Demonstrated detection limits of 1 nM in saliva and sweat, with LODs of 0.136 nM and 0.266 nM, respectively.
• Showcased the platform's effectiveness in real-world, noninvasive samples.

Conclusions:

• The SGNS@MPA platform offers efficient molecular enrichment for improved SERS detection.
• This strategy enhances solution-based SERS for practical point-of-care and low-resource applications.
• Provides a novel approach for sensitive and quantitative detection of biomarkers in complex biological samples.