4-Mercaptobenzoic Acid Labeled Gold-Silver-Alloy-Embedded Silica Nanoparticles as an Internal Standard Containing Nanostructures for Sensitive Quantitative Thiram Detection

Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Sep 29;20(19):4841. doi: 10.3390/ijms20194841.

Abstract

In this study, SiO2@Au@4-MBA@Ag (4-mercaptobenzoic acid labeled gold-silver-alloy-embedded silica nanoparticles) nanomaterials were investigated for the detection of thiram, a pesticide. First, the presence of Au@4-MBA@Ag alloys on the surface of SiO2 was confirmed by the broad bands of ultraviolet-visible spectra in the range of 320-800 nm. The effect of the 4-MBA (4-mercaptobenzoic acid) concentration on the Ag shell deposition and its intrinsic SERS (surface-enhanced Raman scattering) signal was also studied. Ag shells were well coated on SiO2@Au@4-MBA in the range of 1-1000 µM. The SERS intensity of thiram-incubated SiO2@Au@4-MBA@Ag achieved the highest value by incubation with 500 µL thiram for 30 min, and SERS was measured at 200 µg/mL SiO2@Au@4-MBA@Ag. Finally, the SERS intensity of thiram at 560 cm-1 increased proportionally with the increase in thiram concentration in the range of 240-2400 ppb, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 72 ppb.

Keywords: gold–silver-alloy-embedded silica nanoparticles; internal standard; thiram; ultrasensitive detection.

MeSH terms

  • Benzoates / chemistry*
  • Benzoates / pharmacology*
  • Gold / chemistry*
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Silicon Dioxide / chemistry*
  • Silver / chemistry*
  • Spectrum Analysis
  • Sulfhydryl Compounds / chemistry*
  • Sulfhydryl Compounds / pharmacology*
  • Thiram / analysis*

Substances

  • Benzoates
  • Sulfhydryl Compounds
  • Thiram
  • 4-mercaptobenzoate
  • Silver
  • Gold
  • Silicon Dioxide