Application of G-SERS for the efficient detection of toxic dye contaminants in textile effluents using gold/graphene oxide substrates

Abstract

The upsurge of colored, hazardous dye pollutants has led to the excessive presence of carcinogens in the environment, thereby requiring a sensitive, rapid and facile detection method. In this study, graphene oxide mediated surface enhanced Raman scattering (G-SERS) based sensor was studied on gold/reduced-graphene oxide nanocomposites (Au/GO NCs). Typical absorptions at 261 nm and 531 nm observed in UV–visible spectroscopy, XRD peaks at 24°, 38.2°, 44.5°, 64.7°, and 77.6° along with the TEM images showed the formation of spherical Au nanoparticles incorporated rGO sheets. In this study, monoazo, diazo, triarylmethane, thyazine and xanthenes dyes were analyzed. Further, the predominant dye contaminant contributor: textile effluent (TE) collected from Erode, India was studied. From the G-SERS spectra it can be concluded that TE may me a mixture of azo, aryl and xanthenes dyes. Also the carcinogenic aromatic structures such as CN and CN were detected successfully. Synergistically, the electromagnetic enhancement from the hotspots and hot surfaces, chemical enhancement offered by rGO and effective fluorescence quenching observed result in well defined, enhanced G-SERS signals. This work suggests the feasibility of Au/GO NCs as an effective pollutant sensor in water processing and treatment plants for industrial effluents.