A high-efficiency surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection method with ultra-high sensitivity has been widely applied in drug component detection to optimize the product quality verification standards. Herein, a controllable strategy of sputtering Ag nanoislands on carbon fiber (C-fiber) via magnetron sputtering technology was proposed to fabricate a versatile Ag-C-fiber SERS active substrate. A wide range of multi-level electromagnetic enhancement “hot spots” distributed on Ag-C-fiber nanostructures can efficiently amplify Raman signals and the experimental enhancement factor (EEF) value was 3.871 × 106. Furthermore, substantial “hot spots” of large-scale distribution guaranteed the superior reproducibility of Raman signal with relative standard deviation (RSD) values less than 12.97%. Limit of detection (LOD) results indicated that when crystal violet (CV) is employed as probe molecule, the LOD was located at 1 × 10−13 M. By virtue of ultra-sensitivity and good flexibility of the Ag-C-fiber nanotemplate, Raman signals of two kinds of antiepileptic drugs called levetiracetam and sodium valproate were successfully obtained using an SERS-based spectral method. The Ag-C-fiber SERS detection platform demonstrated a good linear response (R2 = 0.97486) in sensing sodium valproate concentrations in the range of 1 × 103 ng/μL−1–1 ng/μL. We believe that this reliable strategy has potential application for trace detection and rapid screening of antiepileptic drugs in the clinic.
Aiming at the shortcomings of high cost and time-consumption in traditional liquid chromatography, an effective surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based trace detection method has been proposed to quantitatively identify the active component of traditional Chinese medicine. In this paper, a high-performance and versatile SERS platform based on Ag nanoparticles (NPs) self-assembly Ag-anodized aluminium (Ag NPs-Ag-AAO) nanoarray was fabricated by controllable physico-chemical preparation technology. The results indicated that the electromagnetic field enhancement effect was sharply strengthened as Ag NPs assembled, and the experimental enhancement factor (EEF) value was calculated to be 1.0083 × 106. This novel Ag NPs-Ag-AAO nanoarray with substantial “hot spots” exhibited high SERS signal reproducibility, with the relative standard deviation (RSD) value at less than 2.23%. More importantly, this SERS platform was applied to detect active component Baicalein in Scutellaria baicalensis, and the limit of detection (LOD) was located at 10 fg/mL. Therefore, this Ag NPs-Ag-AAO nanoarray with high sensitivity, strong Raman signal reproducibility and reliable practicability has broad application prospects in the rapid detection of trace substances in the active components of traditional Chinese medicine and is expected to be popularized.
The combination of new noble metal nanomaterials and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technology has become a new strategy to solve the problem of low sensitivity in the detection of traditional Chinese medicine. In this work, taking natural cicada wing (C.w.) as a template, by optimizing the magnetron sputtering experimental parameters for the growth of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) on vanadium-titanium (V-Ti) nanorods, the nanogaps between the nanorods were effectively regulated and the Raman signal intensity of the Ag15/V-Ti20/C.w. substrate was improved. The proposed homogeneous nanostructure exhibited high SERS activity through the synergistic effect of the electromagnetic enhancement mechanism at the nanogaps between the Ag NPs modified V-Ti nanorods. The analytical enhancement factor (AEF) value was as high as 1.819 × 108, and the limit of detection (LOD) was 1 × 10−11 M for R6G. The large-scale distribution of regular electromagnetic enhancement “hot spots” ensured the good reproducibility with the relative standard deviation (RSD) value less than 7.31%. More importantly, the active compound of Artemisinin corresponded the pharmacological effect of Artemisia annua was screened out by SERS technology, and achieved a LOD of 0.01 mg/l. This reliable preparation technology was practically applicable to produce SERS-active substrates in detection of pharmacodynamic substance in traditional Chinese medicine.
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