Optimization of sandwich-style SERS substrates for the detection of human skeletal tissue components

WCU Author/Contributor (non-WCU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Kristin Kelly Cooke (Creator)
Institution
Western Carolina University (WCU )
Web Site: http://library.wcu.edu/
Advisor
David Evanoff, Jr.

Abstract: Detection of DNA from various sources is an essential and delicate process that plays a keyrole in the analysis of biological evidence. As such, the extraction of DNA from bone is awidely studied area in forensic science. Unfortunately, there is no standard pre-extractiontechnique to qualitatively assess the likelihood of obtaining a usable amount of high qualityDNA for genotyping. The purpose of this research is to lay the foundation for investigatingRaman spectroscopy and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) as potentialdiagnostic tools for determining whether a bone sample contains viable DNA for genotyping.Herein, we present individual spectra of skeletal tissue and DNA components measuredusing both Raman spectroscopy and SERS. A previously studied fabrication method for aSERS substrate architecture, known as sandwich-style SERS substrates, was utilized for thisresearch. A key focus of this research was to optimize these substrates to enable to detectionof low concentrations of adenine, which serves as a Raman-active marker molecule for thedetection of DNA in various solutions. Several parameters were varied from the originalsubstrate fabrication method such as silver nanoparticle size, dispersion, and inter-particlespacing - the result of which yielded SERS substrates that led to the detection of adeninemolecules in a solution with a concentration as low as 10??8 M.

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
Language: English
Date: 2016
Keywords
DNA, Nucleotide, Raman Spectroscopy, SERS, Skeletal tissue
Subjects
Human remains (Archaeology) -- Analysis
Human skeleton -- Analysis
DNA
Raman spectroscopy
Raman effect, Surface enhanced
Chemistry, Forensic

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