LASiS-Synthesized Metal Nanoparticles for Surface-Enhanced Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy of Amoxicillin

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Nanostructured materials have increased the applications of spectroscopy measurements for biological, physical, and chemical purposes. Due to the limitations caused by low absorbance in poorly concentrated samples, nanoparticles can contribute to overcoming this condition. Molecules in the vicinity of these materials have their infrared (IR) spectral signal increased, an effect known as Surface-Enhanced Infrared Absorption (SEIRA). With the advancement of technology, the LASiS (Laser Ablation Synthesis in Solution), a top-down physical method, allows the creation of nanoparticles in a liquid environment without the need for chemical additives. This study proposes the use of nanoparticles synthesized via LASiS for employment as an active SEIRA platform in pharmaceutical detection. Our experiments showed that through hyperspectral imaging, using micro-FTIR, it was possible to create chemical maps, find regions where the absorbance IR signal of the analyte is enhanced, and establish the enhancement factors of the Amoxicillin spectrum. The SEIRA effect was possible using silver, copper, cobalt, and vanadium nanoparticles. This sensitive and accurate drug monitoring technique points to alternative strategies for molecular antibiotic detection by optical techniques using laser-synthesized nanoparticles.