Self-ordered silver nanoparticles on nanoconcave plasmonic lattices for SERS multi-antibiotic detection

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Accurate antibiotic detection is crucial for environmental monitoring, clinical diagnostics, and pharmaceutical quality control.
• Trace-level detection of antibiotics in various matrices remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a highly sensitive and reproducible surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate for antibiotic detection.
• To utilize the synergistic effects of aluminum concavities and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) for enhanced SERS signals.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized SERS substrates by anodizing aluminum into concave structures.
• Deposited AgNPs onto aluminum concavities using magnetron sputtering.
• Employed SERS to detect and quantify antibiotic compounds like amoxicillin and tetracycline.

Main Results:

• Achieved detection limits as low as 10^-10 M for antibiotics.
• Demonstrated an enhancement factor (EF) of 10⁸.
• Identified distinctive spectral peaks for precise antibiotic identification and quantification.

Conclusions:

• The developed AgNP-coated aluminum concavity substrate offers a sensitive, reproducible, and homogenous platform for trace-level antibiotic detection.
• This approach shows significant potential for environmental, clinical, and pharmaceutical analysis.