Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy-assisted lateral flow test for adenine and IgG analysis.

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Biotechnology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Conventional lateral flow tests lack desired selectivity and sensitivity.
• Subjectivity and uncertainty are common issues in current immunochemistry-based tests.
• Need for advanced analytical methods for non-laboratory settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, easy-to-use lateral flow test for sensitive and selective analyte detection.
• To implement surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) for enhanced detection.
• To address limitations of existing lateral flow assays.

Main Methods:

• Development of a modular lateral flow strip with engineered polymeric sections for analyte separation.
• Incorporation of plasmonic silver nanostructures for SERS detection.
• Utilized physicochemical interactions for sample component separation.
• Functionalization of nanostructures with selectors for specific analyte binding.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated selective detection of IgG (protein) and Adenine (low molecular compound).
• Achieved enhanced sensitivity and selectivity compared to traditional methods.
• Validated the modular design for simplified sample analysis.

Conclusions:

• The novel lateral flow test combines modular design with SERS detection for improved analytical performance.
• This technology holds significant potential for biomedical research and diagnostics.
• Offers a promising platform for point-of-care testing and immune function monitoring.