Application of Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy in the Detection of Classical Opioids

Opioids are among the most abused drugs globally, and their adverse effects on human health and social security cannot be disregarded. Effective drug detection technology is important in drug control and drug crime prevention. As a new molecular spectroscopic analysis technology, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is expected to become an effective method for detecting trace drugs owing to its advantages of accurate identification, high sensitivity, simple operation, and fast analysis. This study gives an overview of the recent developments in the detection of opioids (morphine, heroin, and codeine) using SERS. In addition, this study proposes the future directions of SERS technology in the application of drug detection for the relevant research and case handling.