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[Display omitted] • A facile strategy for fabrication of micron-sized PS@Ag-NPs microspheres with excellent SERS activity and reproducibility is developed. • The single microsphere SERS technique possesses the capability of anti-dilutability and the utilization of ultra-low PS@Ag-NPs microsphere dosage. • Two feasible and simple protocols are set up to realize qualitative and quantitative detection of trace pesticide residues on fruit. • The single microsphere SERS technique supplies a promising prospect in food safety monitoring. Hypothesis: Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has become an emerging and reliable tool for detecting pesticide residues due to its high sensitivity, fast testing speed and easy sample handling. SERS active substrates are the key to achieve efficient and sensitive detection. However, for the most widely used noble metal nanoparticles, there are problems of high noble metal nanoparticle usage and random aggregation. The micron-scale Raman spot is focused on multiple randomly aggregated nanoparticles during the test, resulting in poor reproducibility. Therefore, the development of micron-scale cost-effective SERS substrates with good reproducibility and simple detecting method is of great significance in practical detection. Experiments: Through deposition of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) by chemical reduction on the surface of monodisperse sulfonated polystyrene (SPS) microspheres, micron-sized PS@Ag-NPs core–shell microspheres were prepared with excellent SERS activity. After that, two simple protocols (Method I and Method II) were explored for the determination of thiram on apple epidermis. Findings: Based on our developed strategy of the single microsphere SERS technique, we successfully fabricated uniform PS@Ag-NPs substrate with high SERS activity and excellent detection sensitivity. The single microsphere SERS technique possesses the capability of anti-dilutability and the utilization of ultra-low PS@Ag-NPs microsphere dosage, realizing qualitative and quantitative detection of thiram on apple with detection limits far below the standard stipulated by China and the European Union. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A facile strategy for fabrication of micron-sized PS@Ag-NPs microspheres with excellent SERS activity and reproducibility is developed. • The single microsphere SERS technique possesses the capability of anti-dilutability and the utilization of ultra-low PS@Ag-NPs microsphere dosage. • Two feasible and simple protocols are set up to realize qualitative and quantitative detection of trace pesticide residues on fruit. • The single microsphere SERS technique supplies a promising prospect in food safety monitoring. Hypothesis: Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has become an emerging and reliable tool for detecting pesticide residues due to its high sensitivity, fast testing speed and easy sample handling. SERS active substrates are the key to achieve efficient and sensitive detection. However, for the most widely used noble metal nanoparticles, there are problems of high noble metal nanoparticle usage and random aggregation. The micron-scale Raman spot is focused on multiple randomly aggregated nanoparticles during the test, resulting in poor reproducibility. Therefore, the development of micron-scale cost-effective SERS substrates with good reproducibility and simple detecting method is of great significance in practical detection. Experiments: Through deposition of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) by chemical reduction on the surface of monodisperse sulfonated polystyrene (SPS) microspheres, micron-sized PS@Ag-NPs core–shell microspheres were prepared with excellent SERS activity. After that, two simple protocols (Method I and Method II) were explored for the determination of thiram on apple epidermis. Findings: Based on our developed strategy of the single microsphere SERS technique, we successfully fabricated uniform PS@Ag-NPs substrate with high SERS activity and excellent detection sensitivity. The single microsphere SERS technique possesses the capability of anti-dilutability and the utilization of ultra-low PS@Ag-NPs microsphere dosage, realizing qualitative and quantitative detection of thiram on apple with detection limits far below the standard stipulated by China and the European Union. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]