Applications of Gold Nanoparticles in Non-Optical Biosensors

Abstract

Due to their unique properties, such as good biocompatibility, excellent conductivity, effective catalysis, high density, and high surface-to-volume ratio, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are widely used in the field of bioassay. Mainly, AuNPs used in optical biosensors have been described in some reviews. In this review, we highlight recent advances in AuNP-based non-optical bioassays, including piezoelectric biosensor, electrochemical biosensor, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) bio-detection. Some representative examples are presented to illustrate the effect of AuNPs in non-optical bioassay and the mechanisms of AuNPs in improving detection performances are described. Finally, the review summarizes the future prospects of AuNPs in non-optical biosensors.

Keywords: ICP-MS; biosensor; electrochemical; gold nanoparticles; piezoelectric.

Figure 1

(a) Conventional displacement-type assay protocol based on the dextran-concanavalin A (ConA)-glucose system, (b) schematic illustration of gold nanoparticle heavily functionalized with glucoamylase and PbTx-2 BSA, and (c) measurement principle of the displacement-type QCM immunosensor. Reproduced with permission from [57]. American Chemical Society, 2013.

Figure 2

Illustration of key electrochemical steps of the metal-labeled amperometric immunoassay signal amplification protocol. Reproduced with permission from [73]. Royal Society of Chemistry, 2015.

Figure 3

Scheme of the preparation of the two immunosensors used and their analytical working principle. (A) model system and (B) immunosensor for hMMP9 detection. Reproduced with permission from [74]. American Chemical Society, 2018.

Figure 4

Schematic of pSC₄ monolayer and pSC₄-gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) layer-by-layer signal amplification on the electrode surface. Reproduced with permission from [84]. Elsevier, 2018.

Figure 5

The preparation process of MIP-AuNPs-PDA-DGr/GCE. Reproduced with permission from [93]. Elsevier, 2017.

Figure 6

Illustration of the electrochemical approach for triple amplified detection of miRNA. Reproduced with permission from [111]. American Chemical Society, 2018.

Figure 7

Schematic showing the simultaneous electrochemical detection of miRNA-182 and miRNA-381 via the conjugates of AuNP-MMBs and diblock ODN-modified AuNPs. Reproduced with permission from [113]. American Chemical Society, 2017.

Figure 8

Schematic representation of triple signal amplification strategy based on AuNPs serving as labeling tags. Sandwich immunoreaction of PSA was used as an immunosensing model. Linear sweep voltametric analysis was performed to detect deposited silver. Reproduced with permission from [135]. Elsevier, 2017.

Figure 9

Schematic diagram of the sensitive assay with the BA system and Au NPs based immunoassay for p24 antigen determination by ICP-MS. Reproduced with permission from [153]. Royal Society of Chemistry, 2014.

Figure 10

Schematic illustration of the experimental principle for counting cancer cells based on ICP-MS detection and a MB-based AuNP aptamer labelling technique. Reproduced with permission from [155]. Royal Society of Chemistry, 2016.