Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy for Environmental Monitoring
Summary
Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) harnesses plasmonic nanostructures to amplify the weak vibrational signatures of molecules, enabling rapid, non-destructive detection of environmental contaminants at trace levels. By exploiting both electromagnetic and chemical enhancement mechanisms, SERS delivers distinctive molecular fingerprints with high sensitivity and selectivity. Recent innovations in substrate design—from magnetic core–shell composites and porous three-dimensional silver networks to flexible and dual-laser-excited platforms—have significantly advanced the field towards in situ, real-time monitoring of waterborne and airborne pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, persistent organic pollutants and volatile organic compounds. Portable SERS systems now support on-site analysis in diverse settings, offering crucial insights for ecosystem health assessment, regulatory compliance and public safety.
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Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy for Environmental Monitoring publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in surface-enhanced raman spectroscopy for environmental monitoring across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS): A spectroscopic technique that enhances Raman scattering signals via nanostructured metallic substrates for ultrasensitive molecular identification.
Surface plasmon resonance: Collective oscillation of conduction electrons at a metal–dielectric interface that generates intense local electromagnetic fields.
Hotspot: Nanoscale region of greatly amplified electromagnetic field intensity where Raman signal enhancement is maximal.
Electromagnetic enhancement: Amplification of Raman signals through increased local electric fields generated by plasmonic nanostructures.
Chemical enhancement: Increase in Raman cross-section resulting from charge transfer interactions between adsorbed molecules and the substrate.
Limit of detection (LOD): The lowest concentration of an analyte that can be reliably distinguished from background noise.
References
- Preparation of Fe3O4@PDA@Au@GO Composite as SERS Substrate and Its Application in the Enrichment and Detection for Phenanthrene. Micromachines (2022).
- Feasibility of SERS-Active Porous Ag Substrates for the Effective Detection of Pyrene in Water. Sensors (2022).
- Synergistic double laser beam-boosted liquid-NIR-SERS for ultralow detection of non-adsorptive polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in lake water. Nanophotonics (2022).
- Enhancing the Activity of Silver Nanowire Membranes by Electrochemical Cyclic Voltammetry as Highly Sensitive Flexible SERS Substrate for On-Site Analysis. Nanomaterials (2021).
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