![Quantitative SERS Detection of Uric Acid via Formation of Precise Plasmonic Nanojunctions within Aggregates of Gold Nanoparticles and Cucurbit[n]uril](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcloudfront.jove.com%2FCDNSource%2Fteasers%2F61682.jpg&w=3840&q=50)
A reliable SERS sensor for the direct detection of uric acid in human serum
Baiwen Wei1, Rongkai Shen2, Ping Cheng1
1MOE Key Laboratory for Analytical Science of Food Safety and Biology, Fujian Key Laboratory of Analysis and Testing Technology for Food Safety and Health, College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, China.
Abstract:
This work presents a hydrogel-based surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sensor for the direct detection of uric acid (UA) in human serum. The sensor utilizes a chip embedded with aggregated silver nanoparticles, whose localized surface plasmon resonance is tuned to match a 785 nm laser for optimal enhancement. The method demonstrates high sensitivity with a quantification limit of 1 × 10-7 mol/L and a wide semi-logarithmic linear calibration range from 1 × 10-7 to 1 × 10-4 mol/L. It exhibits excellent selectivity against common serum interferents. Validation with clinical samples showed strong agreement with a standard method, and spike-and-recovery tests yielded results between 95.1% and 107.9%. This sensor offers a rapid, reliable, and promising approach for point-of-care UA monitoring.
