US 2014/0212988 A1 · METHOD OF DETECTING AN ANALYTE USING COATED HOLLOW MICROSPHERES AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME

Abstract

Disclosed in this specification is a method for detecting an analyte using buoyant particles and chemical moieties to give buoyant particle composites that exhibit SERS and can be used for detecting the analytes in a liquid sample. A method is provided for detecting analytes of interest by contacting the analyte with a buoyant particle that comprises a first chemical moiety, such as a SERS-active component, allowing the analyte of interest to bind to the first chemical moiety. The resulting composite localizes in a discrete location of the liquid sample through a buoyant force. The composite is then detected by measuring the Raman scattered light in the discrete location of the liquid sample.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A method for detecting at least one analyte of interest in a sample, the method comprising:

contacting a liquid sample having a first density with at least one buoyant particle with a second density and a first chemical moiety disposed on a surface of the buoyant particle, the first chemical moiety being chosen to selectively bind to an analyte, the second density being less than the first density;
permitting the first chemical moiety to bind to the analyte in the liquid sample to form a buoyant particle composite;
determining a discrete location in the liquid sample where the buoyant particle composite will be localized based on the first density of the liquid sample and a density of the buoyant particle composite, respectively;
detecting the analyte in the liquid sample by interrogating the discrete location with a Raman spectrometer.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of detecting an analyte using coated hollow microspheres and method of producing same

Life of this patent

Method of detecting an analyte using coated hollow microspheres and method of producing same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26