Gold nanorod vacancy-filling based optical fiber sensor for sensitive folic acid detection

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Folic acid is vital for human growth; imbalances can cause adverse health effects.
• Accurate and sensitive detection of folic acid is crucial for health management.
• Existing detection methods may lack the required sensitivity or speed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a rapid, highly sensitive detection platform for folic acid.
• To utilize a D-shaped optical fiber sensor functionalized with folate receptor protein.
• To enhance the sensor's response using gold nanorods for improved detection.

Main Methods:

• Functionalizing a D-shaped optical fiber sensor with folate receptor protein.
• Capturing folic acid via specific ligand-receptor interactions.
• Amplifying the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) signal using functionalized gold nanorods.

Main Results:

• Achieved a high sensitivity of 6.5 nm/(ng·mL⁻¹) for folic acid detection.
• Established a low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.012 ng/mL.
• Demonstrated sensor robustness and selectivity through stability and specificity tests.

Conclusions:

• The developed sensor provides a label-free, high-sensitivity method for folic acid detection.
• The gold nanorod amplification strategy significantly enhances SPR response.
• This approach holds considerable potential for practical biomedical applications.