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In situ synthesis of gold-core silver-shell nanoparticles on bacterial cellulose for SERS detection of micro- and nanoplastic particles in vegetables
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Researchers developed a novel sensor using gold-silver nanoparticles grown on bacterial cellulose to detect micro- and nanoplastics in leafy vegetables via surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. The sensor reliably detected polyethylene and polystyrene particles in kale samples at concentrations as low as a few milligrams per kilogram. This eco-friendly detection platform demonstrates potential for practical monitoring of plastic contamination in food products.
Micro- and nanoplastic particles (MNPs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants, raising significant concerns due to their potential health risks. There is an urgent need for highly sensitive detection methods, especially for complex food samples. This study presents a novel surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sensor, developed through in situ synthesis of gold-core silver-shell (Au@Ag) nanoparticles on bacterial cellulose (BC), for detecting MNPs in leafy vegetables. The BC serves as both a biocompatible scaffold and an eco-friendly reducing agent, thereby facilitating the green synthesis of nanoparticles. The BC@Au@Ag sensor enabled reliable detection of polyethylene (PE) and polystyrene (PS) micro- and nanoplastics in kale samples at 4 mg kg-1, while the theoretically estimated limits of detection, calculated from weighted regression analysis, were as low as 1.22 mg kg-1 for PS and 3.95 mg kg-1 for PE. Combined recovery and precision analyses confirm the reproducibility and robustness of the BC@Au@Ag SERS platform, demonstrating its suitability for sensitive and reliable monitoring of MNPs in complex food matrices.
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Detection of micro- and nanoplastic particles in leafy green vegetables by SERS coupled with gold-silver core–shell nanoparticles
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Researchers developed a sensitive method using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy with gold-silver nanoparticles to detect and quantify polystyrene and polyethylene micro- and nanoparticles in leafy green vegetables. The technique achieved detection limits as low as 12 mg/kg for polystyrene microparticles in spinach and kale, and could identify mixtures of different plastics at trace levels. The study highlights the potential of this approach for routine monitoring of plastic contamination in food products.
Bacterial Nanocellulose Membrane Deposited with Silver Nanoparticles for SERS Detection of Microplastics
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Researchers developed a flexible surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate by depositing well-dispersed silver nanoparticles onto bacterial nanocellulose membranes, achieving a Raman signal enhancement factor of up to 331 for polyethylene solutions at 0.1 g/L. The substrate combines the electromagnetic enhancement of AgNPs with the flexible, porous structure of bacterial nanocellulose for practical microplastic detection applications.
A Scalable Synthesis of Ag Nanoporous Film As an Efficient SERS-Substrates for Sensitive Detection of Nanoplastics
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Researchers developed a new sensor using silver nanoparticles that can detect nanoplastics at very low concentrations using a technique called SERS (surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy). The sensor could identify tiny polystyrene particles down to 50 nanometers in size. Better detection tools like this are essential for monitoring nanoplastic contamination in food and water, since current methods often miss the smallest and potentially most dangerous plastic particles.
Detection of Sub-Micro- and Nanoplastic Particles on Gold Nanoparticle-Based Substrates through Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) Spectroscopy
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Gold nanoparticle-based SERS substrates were used to detect sub-micro and nanoplastic particles including polystyrene, PET, and PVC, demonstrating that this technique can identify plastic particles below the size threshold of conventional Raman microscopy.
Detection of nanoplastics through low-cost SERS substrates, based on 3D islands of aggregated gold nanoparticles on aluminum foil, for wide ranging applications
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Researchers developed a low-cost surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate by combining aluminium foil with 3D aggregates of gold nanoparticles stabilised by cucurbit[5]uril, enabling sensitive nanoplastic detection through plasmonic coupling. The substrate achieved trace-level analyte detection and offers a practical, scalable approach for nanoplastic identification across a wide range of environmental and analytical applications.
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