title: SERS Active Nanobiosensor Functionalized by Self-Assembled 3D Nickel Nanonetworks for Glutathione Detection.
abstract: We introduce a "non-noble metal" based SERS active nanobiosensor using a self-assembled 3D hybrid nickel nanonetwork. A tunable biomolecule detector fabricated by a bottom-up approach was functionalized using a multiphoton ionization energy mechanism to create a self-assembled 3D hybrid nickel nanonetwork. The nanonetwork was tested for SERS detection of crystal violet (CV) and glutathione (GSH) at two excitation wavelengths, 532 and 785 nm. The results reveal indiscernible peaks with a limit of detection (LOD) of 1 picomolar (pM) concentration. An enhancement factor (EF) of 9.3 × 108was achieved for the chemical molecule CV and 1.8 × 109for the biomolecule GSH, which are the highest reported values so far. The two results, one being the CV molecule proved that nickel nanonetwork is indeed SERS active and the second being the GSH biomolecule detection at both 532 and 785 nm, confirm that the nanonetwork is a biosensor which has potential for both in vivo and in vitro sensing. In addition, the selectivity and versatility of this biosensor is examined with biomolecules such as l-Cysteine, l-Methionine, and sensing GSH in cell culture medium which mimics the complex biological environment. The functionalized self-assembled 3D hybrid nickel nanonetwork exhibits electromagnetic and charge transfer based SERS activation mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Micro/Nanofabrication facility, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Ryerson University , 350 Victoria street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada.
authors.forename: Sivaprasad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chinnakkannu Vijayakumar
authors.affiliation: Micro/Nanofabrication facility, Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Ryerson University , 350 Victoria street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada.|Affiliate Scientist, Keenan Research Center, St. Michael's Hospital , 209 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 1T8, Canada.
authors.forename: Krishnan
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7363-8588
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Venkatakrishnan
authors.affiliation: Nanocharacterization Laboratory, Department of Aerospace Engineering, Ryerson University , 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tan
mesh_terms: D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D005978:Glutathione; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles; D009532:Nickel / Q000737:chemistry*; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman
chemical_list: D009532:Nickel; D005978:Glutathione
keywords: 3D nickel nanonetwork; SERS activation; crystal violet; glutathione; l-cysteine; l-methionine; nano biosensor; self-assembled