Detection of PFAS and nanoplastics in serum by using Ag nanowires film SERS substrate with good reusability and sensitivity

A novel surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-based approach is introduced for the highly sensitive detection of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and polystyrene (PS) nanoplastics in serum samples using silver nanowire mesh (AgNWM) as SERS substrates. The surface-enhanced Raman scattering performance of AgNWM substrates was optimized using rhodamine 6G as a probe molecule, achieving a limit of detection (LOD) of 10−9 M. Serum samples were subjected to pre-treatment steps, including protein removal, sample enrichment, and concentration, enabling quantitative detection of multiple PFAS species at as low as 10−8 M. PTFE and PS nanoplastics were also successfully identified at a concentration of 100 ng·mL−1. Furthermore, the AgNWM substrates exhibited significant stability and could be reused up to 10 times for plastic detection without substantial loss of sensitivity. This highly sensitive SERS platform provides an innovative and effective methodology for the detection of PFAS, PTFE, and PS nanoplastics in complex biological matrices, with considerable potential for clinical and environmental analyses.