Profiling an Electrospray Plume Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

We report the use of silver nanoparticles to obtain surface-enhanced Raman spectra of Crystal Violet in an electrospray plume. Surface enhancement allowed detection at low concentrations with the high specificity afforded by vibrational spectroscopy. SERS spectra were used to obtain an axial concentration profile closely matching that obtained in previous fluorescence experiments. SERS can provide more analyte structural information than has been obtainable from fluorescence studies of the plume.