Design and Optimization of A Magneto-Plasmonic Sandwich Biosensor for Integration within Microfluidic Devices

We designed a magneto-plasmonic biosensor for the immunodetection of antigens in minute sample volume. Both spherical gold nanoparticles (AuNP) and magnetic beads (MB) were conjugated to goat anti-rabbit IgG antibody (Ab) capable of recognizing a model target, rabbit IgG (rIgG). The AuNP bioconjugate was used as the optical detection probe while the MB one was used as the capture probe. Addition of the target analyte followed by detection probe resulted in the formation of a sandwich immunocomplex which was separated from the unbound AuNP-Ab conjugate by application of an external magnetic field. The readout was executed either in a direct or in indirect way by measuring the UV-Visible spectrum of each fraction in a specially designed microcell. Dose-response curves were established from the optical signal of the immunocomplex and unbound AuNP-Ab conjugate fractions. Finally, the assay was transposed to a microfluidic cell specially designed to enable easy separation of the immunocomplex and AuNP-Ab conjugate fractions and subsequent analysis of the latter fraction and achieve the quantification of the analyte in the ng/mL concentration range.