Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Platform Based on ZnO@ZIF-8 Composite for the Detection of Periodontal Pathogens

Periodontitis, which owns a significant prevalence rate, is a chronic inflammatory disorder caused by the infection of multiple microorganisms. Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) serves as a key pathogenic biomarker for periodontitis. However, currently, there is a lack of diagnostic tools that are able to quickly and precisely quantify levels of P. gingivalis. Therefore, developing a quantitative detection method for this pathogenic bacterium is critical for the diagnosis and management of this disease. Herein, based on the petal-like spherical ZnO@ZIF-8 composite substrate, we built an innovative semiconductor surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic (SERS) platform specifically engineered for the detection of P. gingivalis with high speed, sensitivity, and stability. The detection of P. gingivalis on this SERS platform takes only 30 min. It also has excellent long-term stability for over 60 days. This platform exhibits an extensive linear range from 4 × 103 CFU/mL to 4 × 108 CFU/mL, while also owning a low limit of detection (LOD) of 38 CFU/mL for P. gingivalis. The developed method provides a novel pathway for precise diagnosis and efficient screening of periodontitis, and explores new directions for detecting other disease-related biomolecules, including proteins, small molecules, peptides, and miRNAs at the same time.