Fluorophore-assisted synthesis of silver flowers on copper-patterned flexible substrates for SERS detection of thiram residues on apples

Dikmen Z., Dikmen G., Ay K. O., Aydın R., Akyüz İ.

FOOD CHEMISTRY, cilt.492, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 492
  • Basım Tarihi: 2025
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.145656
  • Dergi Adı: FOOD CHEMISTRY
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, BIOSIS, Chemical Abstracts Core, Chimica, Compendex, EMBASE, MEDLINE
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Complexation triggered crystallization, Label free fungicide detection, SERS, Thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole, Thiram
  • Eskişehir Osmangazi Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

A rapid and non-destructive Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) approach using silver flowers (AgFws) as a substrate was successfully developed for the detection of trace amounts of thiram, a dithiocarbamate fungicide. In this study, we report the facile preparation of AgFws on a copper-coated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate utilizing a "complexation-triggered crystallization" phenomenon. The 2,5-di(pyridin-4-yl)thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole (Py2TTz) dye serves as both a reducing agent and a nucleation site for the crystallization of silver ions, forming AgFws on the copper layer, thereby yielding a flexible SERS substrate. The copper coating enhances the formation of AgFws due to the excellent adsorption properties of the Py2TTz dye. The high surface area-to-volume ratio of the AgFws enables sensitive detection of food contaminants. The developed SERS substrate successfully identified trace amounts of thiram residues on apple peel with a detection limit of 1 pg/ cm2 and in solutions with a concentration as low as 10-14 M.