Visible and angular interrogation of Kretschmann-based SPR using hybrid Au-ZnO optical sensor for hyperuricemia...

Area of Science:

• Plasmonics
• Nanomaterials
• Biosensing

Background:

• Elevated uric acid (hyperuricemia) is linked to gout and kidney disease.
• Accurate detection of uric acid levels is crucial for diagnosing and managing related health issues.
• Current detection methods may require improvement in sensitivity and specificity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a plasmonic optical sensor for detecting uric acid.
• To investigate the performance enhancement of a gold-zinc oxide (Au-ZnO) hybrid material in a Kretschmann-based Surface Plasmon Resonance (K-SPR) sensor.
• To differentiate between healthy and unhealthy uric acid levels using refractive index variations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) simulation method.
• Employed a Kretschmann-based Surface Plasmon Resonance (K-SPR) technique with angular interrogation.
• Investigated a hybrid layer of gold-zinc oxide (Au-ZnO) at visible optical wavelengths (670 nm and 785 nm).

Main Results:

• The Au-ZnO hybrid sensor demonstrated enhanced uric acid detection capabilities compared to bare gold.
• At 670 nm, the sensor achieved an average sensitivity of 0.028°/mM with 98.67% linearity.
• At 785 nm, the sensor showed an average sensitivity of 0.0193°/mM with 94.46% linearity.

Conclusions:

• The hybrid Au-ZnO material significantly enhances sensing performance for uric acid detection.
• The developed plasmonic optical sensor shows promise for differentiating healthy and unhealthy uric acid concentrations.
• Further experimental validation is recommended to explore the full potential of this hybrid material in biosensing applications.