Complexation of bovine serum albumin and gold nanorods revealed by plasmon-enhanced light scattering spectroscopy

Complexation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and gold nanorods has been investigated by plasmon-enhanced light scattering spectroscopy under external stimuli such as the changes in hydrogen ion concentration value and ionic strength, with addition of ethanol. The results indicated that the BSA chains tend to adopt a coil conformation by decreasing hydrogen ion concentration value. Scattering intensity of the gold nanorods–BSA system gradually decreases because BSA chains tend to adopt a coil conformation with addition of sodium chloride. This work will further extend the application range of this method due to its simplicity, rapidity, and sensitivity.