Versatile and high performance in-paper flexible SERS chips for simple and in-situ detection of methylene blue in river water and thiram on apple skin

In-paper flexible SERS chips were simply prepared by immersing pieces of filter paper into colloidal silver nanoparticle (e-AgNP) solution for 24 h and drying naturally at room temperature. Characteristic properties of cellulose fibers allowed the paper-based chips to be available for two sample collecting approaches. Being hydrophilic but insoluble in water, the chips were convenient to be dipped into aqueous media to collect soluble target analytes. Besides, they could “stick” on wet surfaces and bend along them to grab analytes. Hence, they were employed for in-situ detection of methylene blue dye in river water using “dip and dry” method and thiram pesticide on apple skin using “paste and peel off” procedure, resulting in detection limit of 10−10 M with excellent recovery rates of 93–104% and 86–93%, respectively. Therefore, the e-AgNPs-based in-paper SERS chips have served as a versatile tool for a large range of samples. More importantly, simple procedures of SERS chip preparation and sample collecting do not require the use of any complex equipment or expert operators. It can bring SERS techniques a step closer to real applications. [Display omitted] •In-paper flexible SERS chips were simply fabricated by immersing pieces of filter paper into electrochemically-synthesized silver nanoparticle (e-AgNPs) solution for 24 h and then being dried at room temperature.•The as-prepared SERS chips are convenient for two on-site sample collecting approaches: “dip and dry” method for liquid samples as well as “paste and peel off” method for surfaces.•In the “dip and dry” approach, the SERS chips could be employed to detect methylene blue in river water at concentrations as low as 1.0 × 10−10 M•In the “paste and peel off” approach, the SERS chips were effective to sense thiram on apple skin at concentrations down to 1.0 × 10−10 M (∼2.4 × 10−13 g/cm2).