High-contrast grating resonators for label-free detection of disease biomarkers

A label-free optical biosensor is described that employs a silicon-based high-contrast grating (HCG) resonator with a spectral linewidth of ~500 pm that is sensitive to ligand-induced changes in surface properties. The device is used to generate thermodynamic and kinetic data on surface-attached antibodies with their respective antigens. The device can detect serum cardiac troponin I, a biomarker of cardiac disease to 100 pg/ml within 4 mins, which is faster, and as sensitive as current enzyme-linked immuno-assays for cTnI

Organometallic nanoprobe to enhance optical response on the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon benzo[a]pyrene immunoassay using SERS technology

We demonstrated the use of a new organometallic nanoprobe for competitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) immunoassay devoted to the detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) such as benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in seawater. The nanoprobes are gold nanoparticles (GNPs) labeled by a Raman reporter, the 5,5'-dithiobis(succinimidyl-2-nitrobenzoate) (DSNB) and functionalized with monoclonal antibodies anti-BaP. The antibodies are bound with a high specificity to the analyte while the GNPs enhanced the Raman scattering of the DSNB. This type of immunoassay involved the grafting of BaP onto a sensing surface. Thus, NH2-terminated self-assembled monolayer is formed on the surface of gold substrate using cysteamine. Amines finally reacted with 6-formylbenzo[a]pyrene. So, this SERS detection involves four steps: (i) the nanoprobes are incubated with the sample; (ii) a drop of the mixture is then put onto the substrate; (iii) the surface is rinsed; and (iv) the surface is analyzed by Raman spectroscopy. To synthesize the nanoprobes, firstly, we prepared GNPs according to Frens' method. Then, GNPs were spontaneously labeled by the DSNB Raman reporter, thanks to a strong gold-sulfur interaction. Thereafter, BaP antibodies were cross-linked to the DSNB labeled GNPs by reaction of proteins primary amino groups with N-hydroxyl succinimide (NHS). Before use in SERS detection, their activity was controlled by surface plasmon resonance technique. The present method allows us to detect BaP at trace concentration (2 nmol/L). The results demonstrate that the proposed method has a great potential for application in the monitoring of seawater