Rapid screening of Turkey DNA fingerprint using highly sensitive label free plasmonic SERS biosensor

Meat adulteration has been raised posing serious impact on human health upon consumption. In particular, Turkey meat being low-cost is added in higher volume with duck and goose meat to gain profit. Herein SERS (surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy) being a highly sensitive optical detection technique is adopted to target label free Turkey DNA sensing. Pulsed laser deposition was utilized to fabricate various metallic nanomaterial aggregates (Ag, Au, Cu, Al) on solid substrates of Quartz and Si at constant number of laser ablations (3000NLP). The fabricated SERS biosensors are characterized for their structural, morphological and optical properties. Based on their characteristics of metallic nanomaterials, the SERS properties are explained in detail with probe molecule Rhodamine 6 G (R6G). The experimental scrutinization was correlated and validated with Finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations. Amongst all the nanomaterials, Au/Si was found to possess enhanced sensing (Au/Q:2.8 x 107 & Au/Si:3.9 x 107) with the adopted PLD strategy. Au/Si SERS biosensor was projected with label free turkey DNA sensing which was considered as a major food adulterant with other meat types. The developed Au/Si SERS label free biosensor offers high stability, reproducibility as well ultra-sensitivity with turkey DNA sensing down to 1.8 fg/uL.