Role of TiO Nanoparticles and UV Irradiation in the Enhancement of SERS Spectra To Improve Levamisole and Cocaine Detection on Au Substrates.

The original goal of this study was the employment of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for the analysis of real cocaine samples (containing adulterants) on composite Au-TiO nanomaterials to achieve low detection limits suitable for the analysis of illicit drugs and controlled substances and to exploit the photodegradation activity of TiO to recycle the SERS substrate for repeated analyses. The photodegradation (self-cleaning) effects of the Au-TiO composite nanomaterials by ultraviolet (UV) radiation are known. These effects were investigated on large-area SERS substrates immersed in the TiO nanoparticle aqueous suspension.