Detection of anionic arsenic species by surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy

CHED 1197

Mary C. Lower, mary.lower@otterbein.edu and Dean H. Johnston, djohnston@otterbein.edu. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Otterbein College, 1 Otterbein College, Westerville, OH 43081
Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has been used as a highly-sensitive method for the detection of a wide variety of analytes. We are developing a method to detect arsenic anions using SERS on a gold-nanoparticle substrate. Phosphine-stabilized gold nanoparticles have been prepared and partially exchanged with amine-functionalized thiols, resulting in positively-charged nanoparticles. These particles will be analyzed for their ability to detect and differentiate various anionic arsenic species.