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. 2024 Dec 2;13(12):1157.
doi: 10.3390/antibiotics13121157.

Identifying the Molecular Fingerprint of Beta-Lactams via Raman/SERS Spectroscopy Using Unconventional Nanoparticles for Antimicrobial Stewardship

Vinicius Pereira Anjos  1   2 , Caroline Guimarães Pançardes da Silva Marangoni  2 , Rafael Nadas  2   3 , Thiago Neves Machado  2 , Damaris Krul  4 , Luiza Souza Rodrigues  4 , Libera Maria Dalla-Costa  4 , Wido Herwig Schreiner  2 , Denise Maria Zezell  1 , Arandi Ginane Bezerra Jr  2 , Rafael Eleodoro de Góes  2
Affiliations

Identifying the Molecular Fingerprint of Beta-Lactams via Raman/SERS Spectroscopy Using Unconventional Nanoparticles for Antimicrobial Stewardship

Vinicius Pereira Anjos et al. Antibiotics (Basel). .

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Beta-lactam antibiotics, derived from penicillin, are the most used class of antimicrobials used for treating bacterial infections. Over the years, microorganisms have developed resistance mechanisms capable of preventing the effect of these drugs. This condition has been a significant public health concern for the 21st century, especially after predictions that antimicrobial resistance could lead to 10 million deaths annually by 2050. The challenge of developing new antimicrobials brings with it the need to ensure the efficacy of existing ones, hence the importance of developing fast and low-cost monitoring techniques. Methods: In this study, we present an alternative based on nanophotonics using Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) mediated by nanoparticles for the detection of antimicrobials, with emphasis on some beta-lactam antibiotics commonly prescribed in cases of critically ill patients. It is a sensitive and accurate technique for drug monitoring, allowing for rapid and specific detection of its molecular signatures. This approach is crucial to address the challenge of antimicrobial resistance and ensure the therapeutic efficacy of existing treatments. Results: Our experiments demonstrate the possibility of identifying spectra with characteristic vibrations (fingerprints) of these antimicrobials via SERS. Conclusions: Our results point to new strategies for molecular monitoring of drugs by optical techniques using unconventional nanoparticles.

Keywords: Raman; SERS; antibiotics; beta-lactam; biophotonics; drug monitoring; nanoparticles.

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Conflict of interest statement

Author Rafael Nadas was employed by the company FabNS, Parque Tecnológico de Belo Horizonte-BHTec. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Molecular representation (2D and 3D) of the beta-lactam antibiotics studied: ampicillin, ceftazidime, and meropenem. Green circles highlight the beta-lactam rings.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Diagram showing the sample deposition and the overlapping region of ATB (dark blue) and NPs (light blue) as well as the equipment scanning direction (indicated by the black arrows).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Raman spectra obtained for the different antibiotics. Each peak represents the detection of characteristic molecular vibrations.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Raman spectrum of ampicillin (chemical structure on the top left) for different excitation wavelengths.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Raman spectrum of meropenem (chemical structure on the top left) for different excitation wavelengths.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Raman spectrum of ceftazidime (chemical structure on the top left) for different excitation wavelengths.
Figure 7
Figure 7
(A): UV-Vis of the synthesized nanoparticles. Size distribution and average sizes as measured through DLS for AuNP (B1), BiNP (B2), CoNP (B3), CoNP (B4), and VNP (B5).
Figure 7
Figure 7
(A): UV-Vis of the synthesized nanoparticles. Size distribution and average sizes as measured through DLS for AuNP (B1), BiNP (B2), CoNP (B3), CoNP (B4), and VNP (B5).
Figure 8
Figure 8
SERS measurement (10 mW laser, 0.1 s integration time) of ampicillin at 26.9 mM concentration and AuNP.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Raman spectrum (reference powder sample) and SERS with BiNP and ampicillin at a concentration of 0.1 mM.
Figure 10
Figure 10
SERS measurement (laser with varying powers, integration time of 10 s) of ampicillin at a concentration of 26.9 mM and CoNP.
Figure 11
Figure 11
SERS measurement (laser at 5.2 mW, integration time 500 ms) of ampicillin at a concentration of 5.4 mM. (a) Map and (b) spectra for points A: ampicillin with VNP, and B: ampicillin only.
Figure 12
Figure 12
SERS measurement of meropenem at 4.6 mM concentration with CuNP (15 s integration time) and CoNP (0.1 s integration time).
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