Applications of luminescent lanthanide complexes

Limited dynamic range Wide dynamic range 

Limited menu (small antigens) General applicability 

A specific antibody immobilized on the solid phase binds the antigen this is then washed to remove other biological species present in the sample, which can interfere in the form of background in the detection step. A solution of a labeled antibody specific for the antigen is added to mark the antigen. Thus the antigen is captured between the antibody immobilized on the solid phase and the labeled antibody. 

The field of immunoassays is large in terms of variety of compounds to be analyzed and the concentrations involved such as millimoles to subpicomoles. One of the optimum requirements is high sensitivity. Immunoassays involving labeling with radio isotopes have been popular in clinical analyses [181]. Some of the advantages and disadvantages of radioimmunoassays are listed in Table 12.32. 

The number of disadvantages outweigh the advantages of radioimmunoassays and this leads to development of non-radioisotopic immunoassay methods. Many substances can be firmly attached to the antibody without changes in binding properties towards the antigen. This principle has been used in some methods to be competitive with radioisotopic methods. In order for alternate methods to function as alternatives to radioisotopic 

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The photophysics of lanthanide complexes has drawn considerable attention in recent years, in part because of the potential applications of lanthanides (sensors, electroluminescent displays, etc.) and several recent reviews highlighting applications of luminescent lanthanide complexes have appeared. A discussion of infrared f-f luminescence of Yb, Nd, and Er in complexes having macrocyclic ligands such as porphyrins, cyclen derivatives, and calixarenes was published by Korovin and Rusakova. " In addition, DaSilva and co-workers describe the development of highly luminescent lanthanide complexes and their application as light-conversion molecular devices. ... 

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