Glucosamine to gold nanoparticles binding studied using Raman spectroscopy

•Glucosamine binds to gold nanoparticles obtained from laser ablation in liquid.•Aggregation of glucosamine at 10 mM concentration causes new UV–VIS band at 625 nm.•SERS spectra of glucosamine in clean gold colloid were obtained for 0.1 mM and 1 mM glucosamine concentrations.•Strongest SERS bands are at 1563, 1586 and 1652 cm−1 (fron C-NH3+ bending modes), at 1165 cm−1 (C-N stretching coupled with C-C stretching motion) and at 1075 cm−1 (C-O stretching coupled with ring C-C stretching mode)