Quantitative methods using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) for analysis in complex matrices are very
attractive due to the high sensitivity and selectivity of this technique. In this work, a novel time-resolved elec
trochemical surface-enhanced Raman scattering (TR-EC-SERS) analytical method has been developed for the
determination of nicotine in e-liquids of electronic cigarettes. One of the main challenges of SERS is its inherent
lack of reproducibility. Here, this limitation was mitigated by employing an electrochemical pre-treatment step
to generate a homogeneous distribution of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) on a silver screen-printed electrode. The
enhanced Raman scattering induced by the Ag-NPs enabled the detection of nicotine at nanomolar levels. The
high sensitivity of the method allowed the quantitative analysis of diluted e-liquid samples, mitigating potential
interferences from other components present in these complex matrices. Moreover, TR-EC-SERS, coupled with
parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC), demonstrated the capability of trilinear spectroelectrochemistry data not
only to detect nicotine but also to identify potential interfering compounds without prior knowledge of their
spectral signatures. This multivariate approach offers significant potential for the detection of outliers in complex
samples.
