An accuracy improved ratiometric SERS sensor for rhodamine 6G in chili powder using a metal–organic framework support

Internal standard molecule 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) embedded Au core-Ag shell nanorods (Au-MBA@Ag NRs) were prepared by a seed-mediated growth method, then loaded on octahedral MIL-88B-NH(2) to obtain a novel ratiometric SERS substrate of Au-MBA@Ag NRs/PSS/MIL-88B-NH(2) (AMAPM) for detecting rhodamine 6G (R6G) in chili powder. The porous structure and excellent adsorption ability of MIL-88B-NH(2), allowed for increased loading of Au-MBA@Ag NRs, thereby shortening the distance between adsorbed R6G and the “hot spot” resulting from local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of Au-MBA@Ag NRs. Based on the SERS characteristic peak ratio of R6G to 4-MBA, the ratiometric SERS substrate displayed improved accuracy and excellent performance for R6G detection, with a wide linear range of 5–320 nM and a low detection limit of 2.29 nM as well as fine stability, reproducibility and specificity. The proposed ratiometric SERS substrate offered a simple, fast and sensitive sensing strategy for R6G detection in chili powder, which demonstrated potential applications in food safety and the analysis of trace analytes in complex matrices.