Publication details
Photon-Upconversion Nanoparticles Give a New Twist to Classic Analytical Tools
| Authors | |
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| Year of publication | 2017 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | Conventional fluorescence spectroscopy is limited by autofluorescence and light scattering of the surrounding matrix. This optical background interference can be elegantly avoided by using photon-upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) that emit short-wavelength light under near-infrared (NIR, 980 nm) excitation (anti-Stokes emission). I will describe new nano-analytical techniques taking full advantage of UCNPs. Agarose gel electrophoresis enables the separation and purification of UCNPs that can then be detected in the gel by a 980-nm laser scanner. The purifiation of UCNPs bioconjugates has the potential to improve many bioanalytical applications. Such well-defined UCNPs can be used to replace conventional enzyme-mediated amplification systems in microtiter plate immunoassays. For example, an upconversion-linked immunoassay (ULISA) allowed for the sensitive detection of the pharmaceutical diclofenac in environmental water samples. UCNPs can be detected at the single nanoparticle level using a relatively simple wide-field upconversion microscope. In this way, it is possible to implement a single molecule sandwich immunoassay for the detection of diagnostic markers such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA). |
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