Copper nanoparticles for SERS-based determination of some cephalosporin antibiotics in spiked human urine.

Copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) were prepared through a wet chemistry method to be used as substituents for noble-metal-based materials in the determination of cephalosporin antibiotics in urine using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The synthesis of the CuNPs was optimized to maximize the analytical signal, and microwave heating was used to increase the reaction rate and improve the homogeneity of the CuNPs. Ceftriaxone (CTR), cefazolin (CZL), and cefoperazone (CPR) were used as the analytes of interest.