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MO: Fachverband Molekülphysik
MO 14: Poster 2: Biomolecules, Electronic Spectroscopy, Experimental Techniques, Quantum Chemistry, Various Topics
MO 14.26: Poster
Wednesday, March 14, 2012, 16:30–19:00, Poster.IV
Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) for BTEX Detection — •Rasha Hassanein, Bernd von der Kammer, and Arnulf Materny — Research Center for Functional Materials and Nanomolecular Science, Jacobs University, Campus Ring 1, D-28759 Bremen, Germany
Raman spectroscopy gives access to the vibration fingerprint of molecules even for complex samples in liquid, solid, and gas phase. The inherent low signal intensity of Raman scattering, which limits the detectable concentration, can be drastically enhanced by a surface enhancement (SE) effect. In SE Raman spectroscopy (SERS), field enhancement is occurring for molecules adsorbed to rough (nano-structured) surfaces of coinage metals such as Ag, Au, or Cu. In this contribution, we report the application of SERS for the detection of traces of contaminations of water. A particular problem are benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX), which are volatile organic compounds found e.g. in petrol, contaminating ground and surface water. A technique, which is sensitive, rapid, and selective is required in order to detect the traces of BTEX. We have applied different SERS techniques and achieved a detection limit for BTEX of 500 ppb in combination with a visible laser excitation source. In our contribution we discuss the different approaches and present the SERS results.