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Silver-Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectra of Berberine: Analyte-Induced Surface Changes, Variable Concentration
Ivan Kopal1, Valerie Smeliková1
1Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 160 00 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|June 24, 2025
Summary
Berberine
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Materials Science
Background:
- Berberine is a bioactive alkaloid with diverse health benefits and potential side effects.
- Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a powerful technique for analyzing biologically important compounds.
- SERS analysis is highly dependent on the properties of the analyte and the nanoparticle substrate.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how berberine's properties influence its surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) intensity.
- To understand the concentration-dependent behavior of berberine on silver nanoparticle surfaces.
- To evaluate the impact of different excitation wavelengths on berberine SERS spectra.
Main Methods:
- Modification of silver colloids with varying concentrations of berberine.
- Characterization of silver nanoparticles using extinction spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy.
- Measurement of SERS spectra of berberine using excitation wavelengths of 532, 785, and 1064 nm.
Main Results:
- Berberine significantly alters silver nanoparticle surface properties, leading to complex concentration-dependent SERS intensity.
- Silver nanoparticle assembly into different geometries is the primary cause of nonlinear SERS signal dependence.
- Observed intensity dependence remains consistent across a wide range of excitation wavelengths.
Conclusions:
- The study elucidates the physicochemical factors governing berberine's SERS signal.
- Nanoparticle aggregation driven by berberine concentration is key to SERS signal variability.
- Findings support the potential for reproducible and long-term SERS-based analytical applications of berberine.
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