Au and Ag films and nanostructures for detection of fungicide mancozeb: SERS analyses

Abstract

This paper describes high-resolution Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) analyses of fungicide Dithane DG (mancozeb) assisted by advanced Au and Ag nanostructures. Noble metal thin films were deposited on quartz substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique and then annealed by a single laser pulse to produce nanostructures. The as prepared structures were used as active substrates for SERS analyses in order to detect the fungicide Dithane DG (mancozeb) at quantities at least one order of magnitude smaller than routinely applied in agricultural medicine. The investigation and results obtained express a relatively easy and inexpensive method additional to the existing analytical methods for detection of small amounts or residue of harmful pollutants. It is directly forwarded to preserve the quality of the environment and thus the human and animals’ health.