ZnO Nanorod/Ag Nanoparticle─Functionalized Paper Substrate for Sensitive SERS Detection of Environmental Contaminants
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide In this work, we functionalize Whatman no 1 paper (WP) substrates with zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO NRs) decorated with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) for detecting environmental contaminants. ZnO NRs were grown by hydrothermal synthesis assisted by microwave irradiation on WP substrate and subsequently decorated with AgNPs using the dewetting deposition method. WP substrates functionalized with ZnO NRs/AgNPs were used as a SERS platform for detecting rhodamine 6G (R6G) dye and the thiabendazole (TBZ) pesticide, widely used in modern agriculture for fungal disease protection in fruits and vegetables. Additionally, a mixture of TBZ and carbendazim (CBZ) was used to evaluate the selectivity of the substrates. WP substrates with ZnO NRs/AgNPs demonstrated superior SERS performance than those with only AgNPs. The set of substrates analyzed also demonstrated high reproducibility and stability for detecting environmental contaminants. The enhanced detection with ZnO NRs is attributed to their large surface area, facilitating target molecule adsorption and increasing interactions with incident light, thus improving sensitivity. For R6G, the enhancement factors (EF) obtained using AgNPs and ZnO NRs/AgNPs were 9.3 × 10 3 and 2.1 × 10 5, respectively, while the limits of detection (LOD) were approximately 4.8 × 10 –8 and 4.3 × 10 –9 mol/L. For the pesticide TBZ, the EF values using AgNPs and ZnO NRs/AgNPs were 2.0 × 10 5 and 9.8 × 10 6, with corresponding LODs of 4.0 × 10 –8 and 5.0 × 10 –10 mol/L, respectively. ZnO NRs/AgNPs substrates also demonstrated long-term stability and selectivity for detecting pesticide mixtures, reinforcing the potential of paper-based SERS platforms for environmental monitoring. The paper substrate offers several advantages, including ease of handling, flexibility, sustainability, and low cost. Moreover, its ease of chemical functionalization enables the integration of various nanomaterials, thereby expanding its potential for a wide range of applications, including environmental and biological monitoring, food safety, and beyond.
Source: ACS Applied Nano Materials
Language: English
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,500
Funders: European Commission, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Eletrônica Orgânica, Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Awards: G1041569632, G110544509, G1152344396, Emerging Printed Electronics Research Infrastructure (EMERGE), G1366903727, Smart ZnO membrane applied to motion sensing, G22113365, G2235232551, Instituto de Nanoestruturas, Nanomodelação e Nanofabricação, G26566168, G31730716, G3358378301, G3690646728, G3729462117, G3783317134, Instituto de Nanoestruturas, Nanomodelação e Nanofabricação, G408042901, Nanotransistors based on 1D oxide nanostructures for high-density flexible CMOS electronics, G4530738012, G4677521078, G4854458445, G5173659641, G5698584951, G606287840, Towards a convergence of technologies: from sensing and biosensing to information visualization and machine learning for data analysis in clinical diagnosis, G6438247056, G6778332260, G6978150641, G700709006, G7650342819, G7979112255, Instituto de Nanoestruturas, Nanomodelação e Nanofabricação, G8856944377, G8911869519
OpenAlex ID: W4410354881