Simultaneous detection of nanoplastics and adsorbed pesticides by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Plastic particles, including nanoplastics, can serve as carriers for various contaminants such as pesticides, leading to considerable environmental hazards. Herein, we used Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) to specifically detect pesticides adsorbed onto nanoplastic particles at environmentally relevant concentrations. By utilizing common silver and gold nanoparticles (AgNPs, 15 nm; AuNPs, 30 nm) as SERS substrates, we enhanced the Raman signals of Diquat adsorbed to polystyrene (PS) nanoplastics surface (nanoPS, 100 nm). Notably, the technique successfully detected both the polymer and pesticide simultaneously at concentrations as low as 20 μg/L for the polymer and 66 μg/L for the pesticide-levels frequently found in environmental samples. The significant signal enhancement observed at these low concentrations highlights SERS as a powerful tool for monitoring pollutants attached to nanoplastic surfaces in environmental contexts.