Fluorescence enhancements of fiber-optic biosensor with metallic nanoparticles

Fluorescence based fiber optic and planar waveguide biosensors. A review

The application of optical biosensors, specifically those that use optical fibers and planar waveguides, has escalated throughout the years in many fields, including environmental analysis, food safety and clinical diagnosis. Fluorescence is, without doubt, the most popular transducer signal used in these devices because of its higher selectivity and sensitivity, but most of all due to its wide versatility. This paper focuses on the working principles and configurations of fluorescence-based fiber optic and planar waveguide biosensors and will review biological recognition elements, sensing schemes, as well as some major and recent applications, published in the last ten years. The main goal is to provide the reader a general overview of a field that requires the joint collaboration of researchers of many different areas, including chemistry, physics, biology, engineering, and material science.

Detection of Gold Nanoparticles Aggregation Growth Induced by Nucleic Acid through Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy

The gold nanoparticle (GNP) aggregation growth induced by deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is studied by laser scanning confocal and environmental scanning electron microscopies. As in the investigated case the direct light scattering analysis is not suitable, we observe the behavior of the fluorescence produced by a dye and we detect the aggregation by the shift and the broadening of the fluorescence peak. Results of laser scanning confocal microscopy images and the fluorescence emission spectra from lambda scan mode suggest, in fact, that the intruding of the hydrophobic moiety of the probe within the cationic surfactants bilayer film coating GNPs results in a Förster resonance energy transfer. The environmental scanning electron microscopy images show that DNA molecules act as template to assemble GNPs into three-dimensional structures which are reminiscent of the DNA helix. This study is useful to design better nanobiotechnological devices using GNPs and DNA.

Endothelial-like nitric oxide synthase immunolocalization by using gold nanoparticles and dyes

Immunofluorescence is a biological technique that allows displaying the localization of the target molecule through a fluorescent microscope. We used a combination of gold nanoparticles and the fluorescein isothiocianate, FITC, as optical contrast agents for laser scanning confocal microscopy imaging to localize the endothelial-like nitric oxide synthase in skeletal muscle cells in a three-dimensional tissue phantom at the depth of 4µm. The FITC detected fluorescence intensity from gold-nanoparticles-labelled cells was brighter than the emission intensity from unlabelled cells.

Spectroscopic investigation, photophysical parameters and DFT calculations of 4,4'-(1E,1'E)-2,2'-(pyrazine-2,5-diyl)bis(ethene-2,1-diyl)bis(N,N-dimethylaniline) (PENDA) in different solvents

A comprehensive investigation on the photophysics of a π-conjugated potential push-pull chromophore system 4,4'-(1E,1'E)-2,2'-(Pyrazine-2,5-diyl)bis(ethene-2,1-diyl)bis(N,N-dimethylaniline) (PENDA) has been carried out spectroscopically. The optical absorption and emission properties of this molecule have been studied in different solvents. The molecule PENDA shows strong solvatochromic emission upon changing the solvent polarity from nonpolar to polar; indicating that emission state is of intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) character. The solvent effect on the spectral properties such as singlet absorption, molar absorptivity, oscillator strength, dipole moment and fluorescence quantum yield of PENDA have been studied in detail. Lippert-Mataga and Reichardt correlations were used to estimate the difference between the excited and ground state dipole moments (Δμ). Ground and electronic excited states geometric optimizations were performed using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT), respectively, with the Gaussian 09 package. A solution of (8×10(-5) M) PENDA in THF, dioxane, CH3CN and CHCl3 gives laser emission when pumped by a nitrogen laser pulse (λex=337.1 nm) of 800 ps duration and 1.48 mJ pulse energy. PENDA dye displays fluorescence quenching by colloidal silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in ethanol. The fluorescence data reveal that dynamic quenching and energy transfer play a major role in the fluorescence quenching mechanism.

Amplification of the signal intensity of fluorescence-based fiber-optic biosensors using a Fabry-Perot resonator structure

Fluorescent biosensors have been widely used in biomedical applications. To amplify the intensity of fluorescence signals, this study developed a novel structure for an evanescent wave fiber-optic biosensor by using a Fabry-Perot resonator structure. An excitation light was coupled into the optical fiber through a laser-drilled hole on the proximal end of the resonator. After entering the resonator, the excitation light was reflected back and forth inside the resonator, thereby amplifying the intensity of the light in the fiber. Subsequently, the light was used to excite the fluorescent molecules in the reactive region of the sensor. The experimental results showed that the biosensor signal was amplified eight-fold when the resonator reflector was formed using a 92% reflective coating. Furthermore, in a simulation, the biosensor signal could be amplified 20-fold by using a 99% reflector.

Spectroscopic investigation, effect of solvent polarity and fluorescence quenching of a new D-π-A type chalcone derivative

A new chalcone derivative 3-(1-methyl-1H-pyrrol-2-yl)-1-naphthalen-2-yl propenone (MPNP) with electron donor-acceptor group has been synthesized and characterized by IR, (1)HNMR, (13)C NMR and X- ray crystallography. Electronic absorption and emission spectra of MPNP have been studied in solvents of different polarity. A remarkable red shift was observed in the emission spectrum of MPNP compared to the absorption spectrum upon increasing the solvent polarity, indicating a higher dipole moment in the excited state than in the ground state and the transition involved are π-π* with charge transfer character. Lippert-Mataga and Reichardts correlations were used to estimate the change in dipole moments (Δμ); suggest that the emissive state of MPNP is of strong ICT character. Fluorescence quantum yield (ϕf) of MPNP was correlated with empirical solvent polarity parameter ET(30), and it is observed that ϕf increases with increase in solvent polarity of polar aprotic solvents and decrease in alcoholic solvents. The interaction of MPNP with colloidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was also studied in ethanol and ethylene glycol using steady state emission measurements. The fluorescence quenching data reveal that dynamic quenching and energy transfer play a major role in the fluorescence quenching of MPNP by Ag NPs.

Novel D-shape LSPR fiber sensor based on nano-metal strips

In this study, a novel D-shaped localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) fiber sensor was introduced. The construction of this sensor involved etching of a single-mode fiber on the cladding layer and core layer, followed by plating using nano-metal strips. The design and calculations of the entire sensor were based on a numerical simulation method combining the finite element method (FEM) and the eigenmode expansion method (EEM). By using graphical representations of the algorithm results, the excitation of the LSPR was clearly observed. The finished D-shaped LSPR fiber sensor possesses several excellent properties, including a short length (2494.4301 μm), high resolution (approximately 35 dB), and high sensitivity (approximately 20183.333 nm/RIU). In addition, compared with LPG-SPR fiber sensor, the framework provides three advantages, namely, a fabrication process that is compatible with semiconductor fabrication, as well as the low-temperature cross-talk and high-temperature stability of surface grating.

Fluorescence manipulation by gold nanoparticles: from complete quenching to extensive enhancement

BACKGROUND

When a fluorophore is placed in the vicinity of a metal nanoparticle possessing a strong plasmon field, its fluorescence emission may change extensively. Our study is to better understand this phenomenon and predict the extent of quenching and/or enhancement of fluorescence, to beneficially utilize it in molecular sensing/imaging.

RESULTS

Plasmon field intensities on/around gold nanoparticles (GNPs) with various diameters were theoretically computed with respect to the distance from the GNP surface. The field intensity decreased rapidly with the distance from the surface and the rate of decrease was greater for the particle with a smaller diameter. Using the plasmon field strength obtained, the level of fluorescence alternation by the field was theoretically estimated. For experimental studies, 10 nm GNPs were coated with polymer layer(s) of known thicknesses. Cypate, a near infrared fluorophore, was placed on the outermost layer of the polymer coated GNPs, artificially separated from the GNP at known distances, and its fluorescence levels were observed. The fluorescence of Cypate on the particle surface was quenched almost completely and, at approximately 5 nm from the surface, it was enhanced ~17 times. The level decreased thereafter. Theoretically computed fluorescence levels of the Cypate placed at various distances from a 10 nm GNP were compared with the experimental data. The trend of the resulting fluorescence was similar. The experimental results, however, showed greater enhancement than the theoretical estimates, in general. The distance from the GNP surface that showed the maximum enhancement in the experiment was greater than the one theoretically predicted, probably due to the difference in the two systems.

CONCLUSIONS

Factors affecting the fluorescence of a fluorophore placed near a GNP are the GNP size, coating material on GNP, wavelengths of the incident light and emitted light and intrinsic quantum yield of the fluorophore. Experimentally, we were able to quench and enhance the fluorescence of Cypate, by changing the distance between the fluorophore and GNP. This ability of artificially controlling fluorescence can be beneficially used in developing contrast agents for highly sensitive and specific optical sensing and imaging.

Detection of swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) viruses using a localized surface plasmon coupled fluorescence fiber-optic biosensor

Swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus (S-OIV) was identified as a new reassortant strain of influenza A virus in April 2009 and led to an influenza pandemic. Accurate and timely diagnoses are crucial for the control of influenza disease. We developed a localized surface plasmon coupled fluorescence fiber-optic biosensor (LSPCF-FOB) which combines a sandwich immunoassay with the LSP technique using antibodies against the hemagglutinin (HA) proteins of S-OIVs. The detection limit of the LSPCF-FOB for recombinant S-OIV H1 protein detection was estimated at 13.9 pg/mL, which is 10³-fold better than that of conventional capture ELISA when using the same capture antibodies. For clinical S-OIV isolates measurement, meanwhile, the detection limit of the LSPCF-FOB platform was calculated to be 8.25 × 10⁴ copies/mL, compared with 2.06 × 10⁶ copies/mL using conventional capture ELISA. Furthermore, in comparison with the influenza A/B rapid test, the detection limit of the LSPCF-FOB for S-OIV was almost 50-fold in PBS solution and 25-fold lower in mimic solution, which used nasal mucosa from healthy donors as the diluent. The findings of this study therefore indicate that the high detection sensitivity and specificity of the LSPCF-FOB make it a potentially effective diagnostic tool for clinical S-OIV infection and this technique has the potential to be applied to the development of other clinical microbe detection platforms.