Supersensitive Novel Detector using Surface Plasmon Resonance Nanostructure Based on Black Phosphorus/Graphene for the Discovery of Various Pathogens in Drinking Water

This study assesses a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor using bismuth ferrite and black phosphorus (BPP) to detect pathogens in drinking water. The investigations collected at 632.8 nm, employing angular interrogation and the transfer matrix approach. Tested pathogens include Escherichia coli, Shigella flexneri, Vibrio cholera, and Salmonella flagellin. The sensor’s effectiveness depends type on the prism used. Various layer thicknesses are tested, with optimal thicknesses identified as 60 nm for Ag, 9 nm for BiFeO3, and 4 BPP layers. Pathogen detection capabilities vary, with the highest sensitivity achieved against Salmonella flagellin due to its higher RI. Comparatively, using graphene instead of BPP resulted in lower sensitivity, which attributed to graphene’s high imaginary part of RI. This sensor stands out against recent SPR sensors, offering superior performance, its easy construction and the properties of its constituent materials. The SPR sensor offers a simple, adjustable configuration with nanoscale dimensions, enhancing its efficacy as a biological sample detector.