Microdroplet-captured tapes for rapid sampling and SERS detection of food contaminants.

Simple, effective, and rapid detection of chemically relevant hazards is a highly desirable research goal, which can provide early-warning information to improve the patient-care outcomes for public health. Here, we introduce a microdroplet-captured tape toward rapid SERS screening of food contaminants. The dominant sensing unit lies on functionalized microwell in conductive carbon tapes, which is simply prepared by physical punching, magnetron sputtering and electrochemical deposition of Au nanodendrites. The tape-based sensors not only possess highly branched Au nanodendrites in microwell for promoting SERS activity, but also enable anchoring the microdroplets via direct dip-pulling from pristine analytes solutions upon sticky incorporated on a glove. Early-warning SERS detection of food contaminants including Sudan-1, thiram, and thiabendazole from the real samples can be achieved by such simple sampling method. These tape-based sensors with a facile operation module and accessible signal read-out represent an innovative point-of-care testing (POCT) device for forensic, military, consumer protection, environmental monitoring, and food safety applications. • The tape-based sensors within Au nanodendrites-modified microwell was designed. • High capillary force among microwell enables rapidly sampling analytes solution. • On-site SERS analysis of real food contaminants in daily life was achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]