Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy for the Determination of Medical and Narcotic Drugs in Human Biofluids

• Published in: Journal of analytical chemistry (New York, N.Y.) N.Y.), 2022-08, Vol.77 (8), p.930-947
• Main Authors: Markina, N. E., Goryacheva, I. Yu, Markin, A. V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Analytical Chemistry; Body fluids; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Drugs; Narcotics; Raman spectroscopy; Reviews; Selectivity; Spectrum analysis
• ISSN: 1061-9348; 1608-3199
• DOI: 10.1134/S106193482208007X

The review is devoted to an analysis of the capabilities, limitations, and special features of the application of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to the determination of drugs and narcotics in human body fluids (blood, urine, and saliva). An analysis of the literature demonstrated that the most efforts of researchers were aimed at overcoming the main disadvantage of SERS as an analysis method—low selectivity, which is especially important in the case of complex objects such as biological fluids. In this regard, the main positive results in the SERS analysis of human biological fluids are currently associated with the development of procedures that minimize the level of a background signal. The procedures are based on various combinations of SERS with separation and preconcentration methods, the use of sample preparation, and the application of chemometrics to take into account the background component of an analytical signal. Significant progress is also associated with the development of multifunctional SERS-active materials, which make it possible to improve the selectivity of analysis. However, it is the analytical part of most works that is the weakest point, which requires further research, including the verification of SERS analysis procedures using control reference methods.