SIUC Physics Seminar
School of Physics and Applied Physics, Southern Illinois University--Carbondale
2025 September 12 Friday 3:00 PM:
Physics Seminar in Neckers 440
Title: Light-Enhanced Detection of Stress Hormones: Developing a SERS Filter System
Speaker: Praveena Satkunam
Affiliation: Southern Illinois University--Carbondale
Abstract:
This study presents the development of a novel filter-based Surface-Enhanced
Raman Scattering (SERS) substrate designed for the sensitive detection of
glucocorticoids. The fabrication process involves pre-treating a filter
with methanol and an aqueous NaCl solution, followed by the deposition of
silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using a low-pressure suction filtration method.
The pre-treatment includes the gradual addition of methanol and a subsequent
10-minute soaking in NaCl solution. Silver nanoparticles are deposited via
the Silver Mirror Reaction (SMR) technique. The performance of the fabricated
filter was evaluated using Rhodamine 6G (R6G) as a reference analyte and
compared to a commercial paper-based silver SERS substrate. The limit of
detection (LOD) for both R6G and glucocorticoids was determined and
benchmarked against UV-Vis spectroscopy and the commercial SERS substrate.
Statistical analysis using ANOVA was performed to assess the significance
of the results.
Biography:
Praveena Satkunam is a Ph.D. student specializing in experimental
biophysics, with a research focus on biomolecular detection and stress
hormone analysis. She earned her bachelor's degree in Physics from the
University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka, and her master's degree from
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. Her work aims to develop
sensitive and efficient approaches for studying complex biological systems.
Last updated on
by K V Shajesh
(kvshajesh@gmail.com).