Valorization of Sargassum spp. for bio-inspired synthesis of ZnO/Au nanocomposites used in SERS detection of trace herbicides

Key Points

• The aim is to develop ultrasensitive sensors for monitoring herbicides using bio-inspired nanocomposites.
• Utilized Sargassum spp. for the biosynthesis of ZnO/Au nanocomposites.
• Conducted surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection for trace herbicides.
• Evaluated sensitivity and selectivity of the synthesized nanocomposites.
• Demonstrated effective detection of glyphosate and glufosinate at low concentrations.
• Achieved high sensitivity and selectivity in herbicide detection.
• Validated practical field-deployable sensor capabilities.