Biosensor-based methods surface plasmon resonance

The use of optical immune biosensors based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) for the diagnostics of human and animal diseases as well as for environmental pollution monitoring, is one of prospective directions in biosensorics. The sensitivity of immune biosensors is similar to the ELIS A-method but the simphcity of obtaining results in the real time regime and the speed of the analysis are the main advantages of the biosensor approach. Performance of optical biosensors based on SPR depends on the state of the metallic surface as well as on the density, structure and the space volume of the immobilized molecules. It was demonstrated that the application of intermediate layers between the transducer surface and the sensitive biological molecules can optimize the working characteristics of the immune biosensor [7-14]. 

Chemical sensors and biosensors for environmental monitoring present an interesting alternative to these conventional methods and offer numerous attractive features such as ease of use, low cost, portability, and the abihty to perform detection in the field [12-16]. Optical biosensors based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) show potential for rapid and sensitive detection of chemical and biological contaminants in the environment. SPR sensors provide a generic platform which, in conjunction with appropriate biorecognition elements, can be tailored for detection of numerous compounds related to environmental protection [17-19]. 

There are immunochemical biosensors applied for mycotoxin assays. Gaag at all developed a method based on surface plasmon resonance for measuring of four different my cotoxins - aflatoxin Bj, zearalenone, ochratoxin A and fumarotoxin (Paepens et al. 2004). 

Nucleic acid biosensors based on optical modes of detection represent another common approach for generating analytical signals based on nucleic acid hybridization. The methods discussed herein are based on methods that are suitable for the study of materials on surfaces. There are a number of different optical methods that have been described, with the most common being attenuated total reflectance (ATR), total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) [15]. All of these methods work... 

Most optical detection methods for biosensors are based on ultra-violet (UV) absorption spectrometry, emission spectroscopic measurement of fluorescence and luminescence, and Raman spectroscopy. However, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) has quickly been widely adopted as a nonlabeling technique that provides attractive advantages. Fueled by numerous new nanomateiials, their unique, SPR-based or related detection techniques are increasingly being investigated [28-31]. 

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