Colorimetry /SERS dual-sensor of H2O2 constructed via TMB–Fe3O4@ AuNPs

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) detection with high sensitivity plays an important role in biomedical research and food engineering. By combining colorimetry and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), we synthetize a novel H2O2 dual-sensor constructed via TMB–Fe3O4@AuNPs. In the presence of H2O2, the peroxide model enzyme might catalyze the oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′- tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) as blue charge transfer complex (CTC) for colorimetry, and then facilitate the sensitivity improvement of SERS detection. The achieved results show that in colorimetry, the linear range is from 40 μM to 5.5 mM with the detection limit of 11.1 μM; in SERS detection, the linear range is from 2 nM to 1 μM with the detection limit of 0.275 nM. Clearly, this mutual reference strategy improves both the detection limit of colorimetry and the sensitivity of SERS detection. Moreover, this colorimetry/SERS dual-sensor constructed via TMB–Fe3O4@AuNPs is successfully applied to the H2O2 detection in plasma and milk, indicating the excellent performance and flexibility. [Display omitted] •The Fe3O4@AuNPs were synthetized by a renewed method, the sensor have both catalysis and high enhancement factor (EF) of SERS.•The colorimetry and SERS results of a same sample can be obtained.•This mutual reference strategy improves both the detection limit of colorimetry and the sensitivity of SERS detection.