Nanoparticle-Based Immunochemical Biosensors and Assays: Recent Advances and Challenges

Abstract

We review the progress achieved during the recent five years in immunochemical biosensors (immunosensors) combined with nanoparticles for enhanced sensitivity. The initial part introduces antibodies as classic recognition elements. The optical sensing part describes fluorescent, luminescent, and surface plasmon resonance systems. Amperometry, voltammetry, and impedance spectroscopy represent electrochemical transducer methods; electrochemiluminescence with photoelectric conversion constitutes a widely utilized combined method. The transducing options function together with suitable nanoparticles: metallic and metal oxides, including magnetic ones, carbon-based nanotubes, graphene variants, luminescent carbon dots, nanocrystals as quantum dots, and photon up-converting particles. These sources merged together provide extreme variability of existing nanoimmunosensing options. Finally, applications in clinical analysis (markers, tumor cells, and pharmaceuticals) and in the detection of pathogenic microorganisms, toxic agents, and pesticides in the environmental field and food products are summarized.

Microfluidic Generation of Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications

“…In recent decades, NPs have drawn significant attention in biomedicine because of their extensive applications in drug delivery systems, contrast agents, diagnostic tools and antennas for photothermal therapy . The formation of NPs can be roughly divided into three stages: nucleation, growth and agglomeration .…”

“…In recent decades, NPs have drawn significant attention in biomedicine because of their extensive applications in drug delivery systems, contrast agents, diagnostic tools and antennas for photothermal therapy. [81][82][83][84][85] The formation of NPs can be roughly divided into three stages: nucleation, growth and agglomeration. [86][87][88] In a conventional batch synthesis, the three stages are poorly controlled and inevitably occurring at the same time, thus it is technically challenging to fabricate NPs with a uniform size and desired structure.…”

Current and Emerging Technologies for Rapid Detection of Pathogens

“…Because of the specific interactions and the extremely high equilibrium association constants (10 10 /M and greater) attainable between an antibody and its corresponding antigen, antibodies are employed as an excellent biorecognition element for the highly sensitive and selective immunoassays [31]. Their utilization in biosensors brings new tools for analysis in the biochemical, clinical, and environmental fields.…”

Potential Application of Gold Nanospheres as a Surface Plasmon Resonance Based Sensor for In-Situ Detection of Residual Fungicides

“…SERS can be observed on the surface of several of nanoparticles such as Au, Ag, Pt, Cu and Pd [6][7][8][9][10][11]. Among them, gold nanoparticles with non-toxicity and high bioactivity have gained much interest, and they present a wide range of applications in modern medical and biological studies such as drug, DNA and antigens delivery; biosensorics, genomics, immunoanalysis, detection of microorganisms and cancer cells and bioimaging [12]. It has been argued that the shape, size and structure of gold nanoparticles determine their chemical and physical properties [13,14].…”