A SERS biosensor constructed by calcined ZnO substrate with high-efficiency charge transfer for sensitive detection of Pb2+

• DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2021.130142
• Publication Date: 2021-05-21T16:47:51Z
• Authors: Haina Zhang; Siqi Huang; Xia Yang; Ruo Yuan; Yaqin Chai
• Keywords: 02 engineering and technology; 0210 nano-technology; 01 natural sciences; 0104 chemical sciences

Abstract Herein, calcined ZnO submicron flowers (ZnO SFs) with excellent surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity were employed as substrate to fabricate a novel SERS biosensor for sensitive detection of Pb2+, which improved SERS effect of ZnO submicron particles (ZnO SPs). Compared with ZnO SPs, calcined ZnO SFs substrate possessed narrow energy band to enhance the efficiency of charge transfer owing to easily generate exciton transition to achieve eminent Raman enhancement effect. Furthermore, free-legged DNA walker amplification strategy was utilized to convert trace amounts of Pb2+ into vast trigger DNAs for construction an ultrasensitive biosensor, which exhibited a liner relationship ranged from 10 pM to 100 μM with a low detection limit of 3.55 pM. Therefore, this work not only provided a novel approach for detection of heavy metal ions, but also broadened the application of semiconductor SERS substrate.