Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) Spectroscopy For Trace Level Detection Of Chlorogenic Acid

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy is one of the most sensitive tools for the detection of molecules adsorbed on nanometer-sized roughened metal surfaces. Additionally, SERS combines high sensitivity with the observation of vibrational spectra of the adsorbate, giving complete information on the molecular structure of the system under investigation. In this paper, good SERS substrates in the form of silver-coated films with an average size of ~16 nm particles were produced by reducing silver nitrate by neat formamide. SERS was then applied for the trace-level detection of chlorogenic acid (CGA) adsorbed over these silver-coated films. SERS spectra with good signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio, was achieved for the identification and characterization of CGA down to 10 -9 M concentration.