title: Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of trinitrotoluene in silver colloids prepared by microwave heating method.
abstract: Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has been demonstrated for the detection of trace levels of explosives due to its high sensitivity, speed of detection and fingerprint feature. 2,4,6-Trinitrotoluene (TNT), a leading example of nitroaromatic explosives, is causing wide concern. In this study, SERS spectra of TNT solution in silver colloids have been successfully measured and a comparison was drawn with the normal Raman spectra of bulk TNT. The silver colloids were prepared by the microwave heating method and characterized by UV-Vis spectra and the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). NaCl and pH value have a great impact on SERS intensity of TNT, the corresponding experimental research results and theoretical interpretations were further illustrated to a certain extent. Moreover, the detection limit of TNT in aqueous solution was achieved as low as 10(-10) mol L(-1) and some preliminary experiments of detecting TNT vapor (about 10 μg/L) using SERS have been carried out. Our results demonstrated the potential of SERS for probing TNT with high sensitivity, and suggest SERS as a powerful method for detection of TNT and similar species at trace levels.
authors: School of Science, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, Shaanxi, China. Electronic address: lingzi0537@163.com.
authors: Chunling
authors: C
authors: Zhang
authors: School of Science, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, Shaanxi, China.
authors: Kaijun
authors: K
authors: Wang
authors: The Key Laboratory of Beam Technology and Materials Modification of the Ministry of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
authors: Dejun
authors: D
authors: Han
authors: School of Science, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an 710055, Shaanxi, China.
authors: Qing
authors: Q
authors: Pang
mesh_terms: D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry*; D006361:Heating / Q000379:methods*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D057230:Limit of Detection; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008872:Microwaves; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000737:chemistry; D012996:Solutions; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman; D013499:Surface Properties; D014303:Trinitrotoluene / Q000737:chemistry*; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D012996:Solutions; D014303:Trinitrotoluene; D012834:Silver; D012965:Sodium Chloride
keywords: Microwave heating; Silver colloid; Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS); Trinitrotoluene (TNT)