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.
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