FT-Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering of Phenylalanine Using Silver-Coated Glass Fiber Filters

A simple and facile method has been developed to produce surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) active surfaces. Tollen's reagent was used to coat silver onto the surface of glass fiber filters. Using a Fourier transform (FT) Raman instrument, strong surface-enhanced Raman signals have been observed for L-phenylalanine on these surfaces. The use of an FT-Raman instrument combined with this new SERS method allows for a method with both high sensitivity and selectivity. A linear dependence of the Raman signal on L-phenylalanine concentration (0.01–1.0 mM) has been demonstrated. The SERS technique presented here is both novel and promising for biochemical analysis.