Solid chip-based detection of trace morphine in solutions via portable surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

  • Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc. 2023 Dec 5:302:122977. doi: 10.1016/j.saa.2023.122977.
Lingyi Zhao  1 ,  Yi Wei  2 ,  Hao Fu  2 ,  Ruiqin Yang  3 ,  Qian Zhao  2 ,  Hongwen Zhang  2 ,  Weiping Cai  2
Affiliations
  • 1. School of Criminal Investigation, People's Public Security University of China, Beijing 100038, PR China; Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Forensic Science, Beijing 100038, PR China.
  • 2. Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, PR China.
  • 3. School of Criminal Investigation, People's Public Security University of China, Beijing 100038, PR China; Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Forensic Science, Beijing 100038, PR China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 37329830 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2023.122977
Abstract

The accurate, sensitive and portable detection of morphine is important to handle judicial cases, but remains to be a great challenge. In this work, a flexible route is presented for the accurate identification and efficient detection of trace morphine in solutions based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and a solid substrate/chip. A gold-coated jagged silicon nanoarray (Au-JSiNA) is designed and prepared via Si-based polystyrene colloidal template-reactive ion etching and sputtering deposition of Au. Such Au-JSiNA has three-dimensional nanostructure with good structural uniformity, high SERS activity and hydrophobic surface. Adopting this Au-JSiNA as SERS chip, trace morphine in solutions could be detected and identified in both dropping and soaking ways, and the limit of detection is below 10-4 mg/mL. Importantly, such chip is especially suitable for the detection of trace morphine in aqueous solutions and even domestic sewage. The good SERS performance is attributed to the high-density nanotips and nanogaps on this chip as well as its hydrophobic surface. Additionally, the appropriate surface modification of this Au-JSiNA chip with 3-mercapto-1-propanol or 3-mercaptopropionic acid/1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide can further increase its SERS performances to morphine. This work provides a facile route and practical solid chip for SERS detection of trace morphine in solutions, which is significant to develop the portable and reliable instruments for on-site analysis of drugs in solutions.

Keywords
Au-coated jagged silicon nanoarray chip; Hydrophobic surface; SERS detection; Surface modification; Trace morphine in solutions.
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