A new route for developing highly efficient nano biochemical sensors for detecting ultra-low concentrations of tetracycline antibiotic residue in water

Abstract

This study reports a new detection process for sensing ultra-low concentrations of tetracycline (TC), using a hot spot surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensor. A gold nanoparticles/ macroporous silicon (Au NPs/macroPSi) hot spot SERS sensor was fabricated using a very simple and low cost method. The SERS signal was investigated using Au NPs/macroPSi hot spot SERS sensor for efficient detection of TC antibiotics at lower concentrations of (10^?3–10^?9) mol/L. The sensor showed an excellent performance for TC detection with an enhancement factor (EF) of 2?×?10⁸, ultra-low detection limit of 10^?9?mol/L, and very high reproducibility with a relative standard deviation of 2%. The effect of the pH value on the behavior of the SERS spectra for TC antibiotic was evaluated, and it was found that pH values of 5 and 6 were the best for the detection process of TC antibiotic.