Facile green synthesis of silver nanoparticles: Relevance in localized surface plasmon resonance and molecular imprinted polymer sensor for detection of Tetrabromobisphenol A in electronic waste

Abstract

The present study demonstrates evocatively the interest in prioritizing an environmental friendly approach. Green synthesis of metallic nano-particles is carried out, which is further incorporated with a technique known as Molecular Imprinted Polymers (MIP) to develop a highly sensitive cuvette-based localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) probe for the selective detection of a Tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA). TBBPA is a hazardous phenolic compound, mostly found in electronic waste (E-waste), that is abundant on earth. We have fabricated an LSPR probe with the help of a transparent glass substrate. A layer of Silver nanoparticles has been decorated over the glass substrate which further has an MIP overlayer on it. The glass slide dimensions are so chosen that it can fit inside the cuvette along its one side. The absorbance spectra are then recorded for a concentration range of 0–500 ng/ml of TBBPA. The sensitivity and limit of detection of the proposed sensor have been found to be 0.228 nm/ng ml−1 and 4.68 ng/ml respectively. Also, the probe showed quite promising recovery percentage greater than 85 % in real samples. Hence, with the findings and outcomes our fabricated probe can be represented as a potential candidate in selective detection of TBBPA along with the benefits of low cost of fabrication, portable, and real-time monitoring.