Adsorption study of antibiotics on silver nanoparticle surfaces by surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy

• Levofloxacin adsorbs strongly on silver surface by carboxylate moiety.
• Tetracycline adsorbs strongly on silver surface by carbonyl and hydroxyl moieties.
• Benzylpenicillin adsorbs weakly on silver surface by carbonyl from acyclic amide.
• SERS spectroscopy is outstanding technique for molecular adsorption analysis.

In this work the adsorption of the antibiotics levofloxacin (LV), tetracycline (TC) and benzylpenicillin (BP) on the surface of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) have been investigated through both surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and UV–VIS–NIR spectroscopies. The SERS spectra were obtained using 1064 nm exciting radiation. Theoretical models for the antibiotic molecules were obtained from DFT calculations, and used in the vibrational assignment. The adsorption geometries were proposed based on the changes in the spectral patterns. The LV compound adsorbs through carboxylate group, TC compound interacts with silver atoms through carbonyl from intermediate ring, and BP compound adsorbs by carbonyl moieties from carboxylate and acyclic amide.

The adsorption geometries of the antibiotics tetracycline, levofloxacin and benzylpenicillin on the surfaces of silver nanoparticles were investigated by SERS spectroscopy.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide