Analytical applications of nanomaterials in electrogenerated chemiluminescence

Abstract

This critical review covers the use of carbon nanomaterials (single-wall carbon nanotubes, multi-wall carbon nanotubes, graphene, and carbon quantum dots), semiconductor quantum dots, and composite materials based on the combination of the aforementioned materials, for analytical applications using electrogenerated chemiluminescence. The recent discovery of graphene and related materials, with their optical and electrochemical properties, has made possible new uses of such materials in electrogenerated chemiluminescence for biomedical diagnostic applications. In electrogenerated chemiluminescence, also known as electrochemiluminescence (ECL), electrochemically generated intermediates undergo highly exergonic reactions, producing electronically excited states that emit light. These electron-transfer reactions are sufficiently exergonic to enable the excited states of luminophores, including metal complexes, quantum dots and carbon nanocrystals, to be generated without photoexcitation. In particular, this review focuses on some of the most advanced and recent developments (especially during the last five years, 2010-2014) related to the use of these novel materials and their composites, with particular emphasis on their use in medical diagnostics as ECL immunosensors.

Synthesis of 1,2‐Dioxetanes as Thermochemiluminescent Labels for Ultrasensitive Bioassays: Rational Prediction of Olefin Photooxygenation Outcome by Using a Chemometric Approach

“…Its peculiar properties have stimulated and enabled the development of aw ide array of applications. [5] Indeed, CL, [6] BL, [7] and electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) [8] detection techniques are particularly well suited in applications in which high sensitivity is required, offering high detectability, even in low volumes, aw ide linear range of responses, and ah igh signal to noise ratio. [4] Primarily,d ioxetane analoguesh ave provedt ob ep otent tools in clinical diagnostics as chemiluminescent substrates for enzymes,s uch as alkalinep hosphatase, used as labels in immunoassays and gene assays.…”

Electrochemiluminescence DNA sensor array for multiplex detection of biowarfare agents

“…Bis(2,2′-bipyridine)-4′-methyl-4-carboxybipyridine-ruthenium N-succinimidyl ester-bis(hexafluorophosphate) (hereafter Ru-label), tris(2,2-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) hexahydrate (Ru(bpy) 3 Cl 2 ·6H 2 O), tripropylamine (TPA), Triton X-100, 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide (EDC), N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), hexaammineruthenium(III) chloride, 98 % (RuHex), potassium ferricyanide (K 3 Fe(CN) 6 ), phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and PBS-Tween powders, pH 7.4, and all standard chemicals were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich, Spain. Aqueous solutions were prepared with Milli-Q water Millipore (18 mΩ cm) and all reagents were used as received.…”

“…ECL is widely used for clinical diagnostics, environmental and food analysis, and pharmaceutical analysis. The numerous applications and developments of ECL have been extensively reviewed [4][5][6][7][8].…”

Recent Advances in Electrochemiluminescence with Quantum Dots and Arrays of Nanoelectrodes

“…Note that the annihilation pathway requires only the presence of the luminophore species (QDs), solvent and supporting electrolyte to generate light, however a major drawback is represented by the fact that in bioanalysis, the potential window of aqueous solution is often not wide enough to allow the formation of radical ions (cations and anions). In this case, organic solvents such as acetonitrile and N,N ‐dimethylformamide must be utilized, which is not practical for bioanalytical applications ,. Also, annihilation requires that the life‐time of the electrogenerated species must be long enough to react and to produce the excited species: obviously, this is an intrinsic limitation, especially if the electrogenerated species is prone to react with the solvent.…”