Cypermethrin insecticide detection by surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy

Abstract

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe common practice worldwide to get rid of unwanted crawling and flying insects using commercially available insecticides represents a potential danger of leakage of containers, and pollution of water and soil that can harm both target and non‐target species. Cypermethrin, a synthetic pyrethroid, is one of the most widely used household broad‐spectrum insecticides.RESULTSSilver nanosphere (AgNS)‐, triangular nanoplate (AgNT)‐ and nanodecahedra (AgND)‐based substrates for surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) were tested, showing that AgND led to high detection sensitivity of cypermethrin with no previous sample treatment, even at low laser power (0.1 mW). Also, reproducibility tests were carried out with one substrate as well as with different substrates.CONCLUSIONSThis study showed that AgND substrates are sufficiently sensitive to detect cypermethrin by SERS using a 780 nm laser, in a complex matrix with no photo‐bleaching and without the need for sample treatment. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).