Group-Targeting SERS Screening of Total Benzodiazepines Based on Large-Size (111) Faceted Silver Nanosheets Decorated with Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles

Rapid, quantitative, and group-targeting detection of total benzodiazepines (BZDs) is critical to create an accurate judgement in emergent medical and forensic settings. Large-size (111) faceted Ag nanosheets decorated with small ZnO nanoparticles were designed as the prominent surface-enhanced Raman scattering substrate, which possessed advantages of specific metal facets and additional charge-transfer (CT) effect from the semiconductor. The vital and bridge role of ZnO in the CT effect was systematically studied via experimental investigations and molecular dynamics simulation, which proves the essentiality of an appropriate ZnO decoration density. Upon determining optimal Ag NS/ZnO hybrids, a calibration curve of estazolam was established with a 0.5 nM detection limit. Based on the obtained curve, group-targeting screening was achieved toward total concentrations of five BZDs (estazolam, oxazepam, alprazolam, triazolam, and lorazepam). Importantly, the total concentrations of BZDs in mice serum were accurately monitored with changing analytical time during the metabolic process, which was in agreement with the tendency measured by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry.