Affordable plasmonic biosensing: democratizing SERS with scalable, field-compatible substrate fabrication

Efficient and accurate plasmonic biosensing in the field remains a significant challenge. Despite its potential to revolutionize point-of-care (PoC) diagnostics through its unparalleled sensitivity and precise molecular fingerprinting capabilities, adoption of traditional surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) in the field has not proven feasible yet. High production and material costs, complex fabrication methods, reliance on specialized equipment, and persistent issues with sensor stability and reproducibility continue to impede development for PoC use. Addressing these challenges, this study innovates a democratized and cost-effective fabrication kit that enables the production of SERS substrates using commonly available materials and straightforward electrochemistry techniques without compromising on sensitivity and reproducibility. Importantly, this method leverages commercially available bottled water and simple battery-powered fabrication, thereby eliminating reliance on a power grid and enabling the local production of biosensors in resource-restricted and conflict-affected areas. The cost of producing the fabrication kit is $39.54 with raw materials purchased at bulk retail prices, while the cost of consumables for fabricating each test is just 1.33¢. To ensure real-world feasibility, we conducted a comprehensive reproducibility analysis, where consistent plasmonic enhancement was observed across multiple production batches. Furthermore, we demonstrated their efficacy in two critical applications: the rapid detection of bacteria and pesticides. We detect trace levels of pesticides such as Thiram and Thiabendazole down to 0.1 ppm using a digital SERS approach. We also demonstrated the identification of bacteria isolated from culture, namely Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. We envision that this label-free, high-sensitivity substrate, when paired with portable Raman spectrometers, could open doors for a new era of field-deployable biosensing, paving the way for its adoption for a plethora of applications, from public health to food testing.