ABSTRACT
By using a silver nanoparticle wiper as a surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrate, a highly sensitive, convenient, and rapid platform for detecting dye adulteration of medicinal herbs was obtained. Commercially available filter paper was functionalized with silver nanoparticles to transform it into the flexible wiper. This device was found to collect dye molecules with unprecedented ease. Experiments were performed to optimize various factors such as the type of wiper used, the wetting reagent, and the wetting/wiping mode and time. Excellent wiper performance was observed in the detection of the simulated adulteration of samples with dyes at various concentrations. The limits of detection for nine dyes, including 10(-6) g/mL for malachite green, 10(-7) g/mL for Rhodamine 6G, and 5 × 10(-8) g/mL for methylene blue, were discerned. The results of this investigation show that this proposed method is potentially highly advantageous for field-based applications. Graphical Abstract Schematic diagram illustrating the fabrication of the paper-based SERS substrate, sample collection process on a herb and SERS examination with the portable Raman spectrometer.
Subject(s)
Coloring Agents/isolation & purification , Metal Nanoparticles/chemistry , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , Silver/chemistry , Spectrum Analysis, Raman/methods , Coloring Agents/analysis , Drug Contamination , Food Contamination/analysis , Limit of Detection , Paper , Surface PropertiesABSTRACT
Hydrophobic-hydrophilic monolithic dual-phase plates have been prepared by a two-step polymerization method for two-dimensional thin-layer chromatography of low-molecular-weight compounds, namely, several dyes. The thin 200 µm poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) layers attached to microscope glass plates were prepared using a UV-initiated polymerization method within a simple glass mold. After cutting and cleaning the specific area of the layer, the reassembled mold was filled with a polymerization mixture of butyl methacrylate and ethylene dimethacrylate and subsequently irradiated with UV light. During the second polymerization process, the former layer was protected from the UV light with a UV mask. After extracting the porogens and hydrolyzing the poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) area, these two-dimensional layers were used to separate a mixture of dyes with great difference in their polarity using reversed-phase chromatography mode within the hydrophobic layer and then hydrophilic interaction chromatography mode along the hydrophilic area. In the latter dimension only the specific spot was developed further. Detection of the separated dyes could be achieved with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.
