Polydopamine-Assisted In Situ Growth of AgNPs on Face Masks for the Detection of Pesticide Based on Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Spectroscopy

Thiram is used as a fungicide and insecticide in agriculture to prevent white rot and anthracnose, but it also produces certain pesticide residues that endanger human health. Polydopamine (PDA) is an adhesive polymer that functionalizes almost all chemical materials, having been inspired by the adhesive properties of catechol and amines in mussel adhesive protein. In this work, we have fabricated a highly sensitive face mask (FM)–based surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate by depositing silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), using a PDA layer as an interface to promote adhesion. Face masks are currently ubiquitous, and are simple and easy to obtain, and this approach can be regarded as waste utilization. FM/PDA/AgNPs can detect Nile blue A (NBA) probe molecules at concentrations as low as 1.0 × 10 −9 M, and permit measurements with sensitivity and uniformity. The Raman substrate can be used to swab the surface of fruit to detect thiram at concentrations as low as 1.0 × 10 −7 M, and the reproducibility has been assessed. The simple utilization of this flexible SERS substrate holds promise for its practical application in the field of pesticide control.