SERS detection of polychlorinated biphenyls using β-cyclodextrin functionalized gold nanoparticles on agriculture land soil

A highly sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) platform for the selective trace analysis of persistent organic pollutant (POP) such as polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) was reported based on β-CD modified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with the real environmental sample of polluted soil. The synthesized gold nanoparticles were characterized using UV–vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In polluted soil the presentation of PCB is confirmed by using GC-MS. It is further verified and confirmed by using SERS. When the contaminated soil was added to the system, the binding of soil with β-CD resulted in the aggregation of AuNPs, and excellent Raman signal was obtained which can reflect the isomers of polychlorinated biphenyls. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.