Approach for determination of ATP:ADP molar ratio in mixed solution by surface-enhanced Raman scattering

The ATP:ADP molar ratio is an important physiological factor. However, in previous literatures, ATP and ADP could not be distinguished by Raman spectroscopy due to the high similarity of molecular structure. To challenge this problem, also considering that the γ phosphate group may interact with adenine group and cause a different variation of the Raman spectrum than that of ADP, a highly sensitive, low-cost, environment protecting, flexible and super-hydrophobic Au nanoparticles/cicada wing (Au/CW) substrate with three-dimension structure was fabricated and employed as an active surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate to detect the ATP:ADP molar ratios. The concentration as low as 10−8M for ATP and ADP was analyzed to determine the limit of detection. This SERS study on various ATP:ADP molar ratios demonstrates that ATP:ADP could be distinguished and the quantitative determination of ATP content was achieved. Moreover, a principle was speculated based on the molecular structures of ATP and ADP of the Raman peaks centered at ~685 and ~731cm−1 to explain the linear relationship between the area ratio and the molar ratio. A new method has been developed for quantitative determination of ATP:ADP molar ratio based on Au/CW substrate by the SERS method. •Three-dimensional cicada wing substrate with decorated Au nanoparticle was synthesized.•The Au/CW substrate shows the SERS quantitative determinations of biomolecules, ATP and ADP.•The ATP percentage in a ATP:ADP mixed solution could be quantitatively determined.