Visual whole-process monitoring of pesticide residues: An environmental perspective using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy with dynamic borohydride-reduced silver nanoparticles

Environmental monitoring of pesticide residues in crops is essential for both food safety and environmental protection. Traditional methodologies face challenges due to the interference of endogenous compounds in peel and pulp tissues, often being invasive, labor-intensive, and inadequate for real-time observation of hazardous substance distribution. In this study, dynamic borohydride-reduced nanoparticles were employed as enhanced substrates. For the first time, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) imaging was harnessed to enable whole-process visual detection of pesticide residues. The developed method is both stable and sensitive, boasting a detection lower limit below 1 pg/mL, coupled with robust quantitative analytical capabilities. This technique was successfully employed to detect residue signals across various crops and fruit juices. Furthermore, SERS imaging was utilized to map the distribution of pesticide residues from the exterior to the interior of fruits and vegetables. Vertex component analysis further refined the process by mitigating interference from plant autofluorescence. Collectively, this innovative strategy facilitates comprehensive pesticide residue monitoring, offering a potent tool for controlling hazardous substances in crops. Its potential applications extend beyond food safety, holding significant promise for sustainable agricultural production and enhanced environmental safeguarding.