SERS-enabled nanomaterials for PFAS detection: a review toward smart and sustainable micro/nano sensing systems

Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent organic pollutants whose remarkable chemical stability and bioaccumulative nature pose significant environmental and health concerns. Conventional analytical techniques such as liquid and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS and GC-MS) offer excellent sensitivity and specificity but remain costly, labor-intensive, and unsuitable for rapid field deployment. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has recently emerged as a promising micro/nano-enabled technology for real-time, label-free, and ultrasensitive detection of PFAS in aqueous systems. This mini-review provides a critical overview of current advances in nanostructured SERS platforms, emphasizing the mechanisms of PFAS–surface interactions, rational design of metallic and hybrid substrates, and progress toward miniaturized and microfluidic detection schemes. Persistent challenges, including limited adsorption affinity, spectral interference, and substrate reproducibility, are analyzed alongside emerging strategies such as surface functionalization, hierarchical nano-structuring, and data-driven spectral interpretation. Finally, future perspectives highlight the integration of SERS with machine learning and scalable fabrication to enable portable, field-deployable environmental sensors. Therefore, the review underscores the potential of SERS as a next-generation analytical tool for sustainable PFAS monitoring and environmental protection.