Ultrasensitive Geosmin Sensing Using Reusable SERS-Active Porous Silicon Microarray.
- 1Institute of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Agricultural Research Organization - Volcani Institute, Rishon LeZion 7505101, Israel.
Abstract
Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) produce geosmin, a volatile organic compound associated with ecological imbalance that adversely affects aquatic organisms by impairing growth and reproduction, weakening immune responses, and reducing aquaculture yields and quality. Herein, we developed a rapid, portable and ultrasensitive approach for geosmin detection based on an aptamer-modified silver-coated porous silicon (Ag-pSi) microarray that serves as a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) transducer. The Ag-pSi substrate, characterized by a high surface area that efficiently distributed noble metal nanoparticles across the thin film, significantly enhanced Raman scattering, yielding an analytical enhancement factor of 2.17 × 10⁸. The microarray scaffold, comprising 25 discrete sensing spots, exhibited a linear response across geosmin concentrations from 0.001 to 10 μg L⁻¹, with an exceptionally low detection limit of 0.1 ng L⁻¹. The performance evaluation demonstrated high reusability, storage stability and high selectivity, as evidenced by 9 successful regeneration cycles, a 7 week shelf life and negligible interference from coexisting metabolites. The scientific feasibility of the fabricated SERS array was further confirmed across various aqueous media, with recovery rates ranging from 94% to 103%, consistent with the benchmark approach. Overall, the integrated SERS-based approach offers a transformative and practical solution for sensitive monitoring of off-flavor contaminants across aquaculture, food safety, and environmental contexts.
Related
- Robust and Reusable Waveguide-Enhanced Raman-on-a-Chip for Sensing Complex Fluids
- Xylan-Derived N,S-Codoped Carbon Dots for Hg2+ Detection and Reusable Paper-Based Sensing
- Responses of Glossina pallidipes tsetse fly to geosmin, 2-pentanol and carbon dioxide odour cues
- Tuning the fluorescence response of Zn-MOFs through ligand replacement for ultrasensitive metronidazole detection
- Squaramide-based ultrasensitive and reversible colourimetric dual sensor for the detection of copper and metal-ion-assisted acetate anion
BibTeX
@article{singh2026ultrasensitive,
title = {{Ultrasensitive Geosmin Sensing Using Reusable SERS-Active Porous Silicon Microarray.}},
author = {Rohit Kumar Singh and Alaa Jamal and Giorgi Shtenberg},
journal = {ACS measurement science au},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1021/acsmeasuresciau.6c00177},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42921412},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Ultrasensitive Geosmin Sensing Using Reusable SERS-Active Porous Silicon Microarray.
AU - Rohit Kumar Singh
AU - Alaa Jamal
AU - Giorgi Shtenberg
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/02
JO - ACS measurement science au
DO - 10.1021/acsmeasuresciau.6c00177
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42921412
AB - Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) produce geosmin, a volatile organic compound associated with ecological imbalance that adversely affects aquatic organisms by impairing growth and reproduction, weakening immune responses, and reducing aquaculture yields and quality. Herein, we developed a rapid, portable and ultrasensitive approach for geosmin detection based on an aptamer-modified silver-coated porous silicon (Ag-pSi) microarray that serves as a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) transducer. The Ag-pSi substrate, characterized by a high surface area that efficiently distributed noble metal nanoparticles across the thin film, significantly enhanced Raman scattering, yielding an analytical enhancement factor of 2.17 × 10⁸. The microarray scaffold, comprising 25 discrete sensing spots, exhibited a linear response across geosmin concentrations from 0.001 to 10 μg L⁻¹, with an exceptionally low detection limit of 0.1 ng L⁻¹. The performance evaluation demonstrated high reusability, storage stability and high selectivity, as evidenced by 9 successful regeneration cycles, a 7 week shelf life and negligible interference from coexisting metabolites. The scientific feasibility of the fabricated SERS array was further confirmed across various aqueous media, with recovery rates ranging from 94% to 103%, consistent with the benchmark approach. Overall, the integrated SERS-based approach offers a transformative and practical solution for sensitive monitoring of off-flavor contaminants across aquaculture, food safety, and environmental contexts.
SN - 2694-250X
ER -