The detection of a few molecules in a highly diluted solution is of paramount interest in fields including biomedicine, safety and eco-pollution in relation to rare and dangerous chemicals. Nanosensors based on plasmonics are promising devices in this regard, in that they combine the features of high sensitivity, label-free detection and miniaturization. However, plasmonic-based nanosensors, in common with general sensors with sensitive areas on the scale of nanometres, cannot be used directly to detect molecules dissolved in femto- or attomolar solutions. In other words, they are diffusion-limited and their detection times become impractical at such concentrations. In this Article, we demonstrate, by combining super-hydrophobic artificial surfaces and nanoplasmonic structures, that few molecules can be localized and detected even at attomolar (10−18 mol l−1) concentration. Moreover, the detection can be combined with fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy, such that the chemical signature of the molecules can be clearly determined

No abstract

Doxorubicin (DOXO) is a powerful anthracycline antibiotic used to treat many human neoplasms, including acute leukemias, lymphomas, stomach, breast and ovarian cancer, and bone tumors, yet causing cardiotoxicity at the same time. For this reason, there is a great interest in medical field to gain deep insight and knowledge of this molecule. Raman, Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) absorption spectroscopy, and Resonance Raman scattering were performed for the vibrational characterization of DOXO molecule. Density function theorem (DFT) modeling of Raman and FT-IR spectra were used for the assignment of the vibrational frequencies. The optimized molecular structured was obtained, first, on the basis of potential energy distribution. The simulation for vibrational bands is based on the calculations for internal force constants and potential energy distribution matrices. The calculated DOXO vibrational bands show qualitative agreement with the experimental observations (FT-IR absorption and Raman scattering).

No abstract

No abstract