▎ 摘　　要

This manuscript demonstrated a simple and efficient method to detect 1-pyrenecarboxylic acid dissolved in water solution at nanoscale level via surface enhanced Raman scattering hot spot with reduced graphene oxide/silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) nanocomposites (RGO/Ag-NPs). Ag-NPs were attached in situ onto RGO surface with different concentrations of AgNO3 in the presence of aqueous solution of 1-pyrenecarboxylic acid. The morphology and structures of the as-prepared samples were characterised with FT-IR, UV-vis absorption, DLS, Zeta potentials, Raman spectroscopy, TEM and XRD. At higher AgNO3 concentration, Ag-NPs get aggregated onto the surface of RGO and created surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) hot spot which detect 1-pyrenecarboxylic acid due to the greatly enhanced electromagnetic field. This novel concept can be extended for sensing different water pollutants including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and benzene derivatives. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.