Chemiluminescence sequential injection immunoassay for vitellogenin using magnetic microbeads

A rapid and sensitive immunoassay for the determination of carp vitellogenin (Vg) is described. The method involves a sequential injection analysis (SIA) system equipped with a chemiluminescence detector and a samarium-cobalt magnet. An anti-Vg monoclonal antibody, immobilized on magnetic beads, was used as a solid support for the immunoassay. The introduction, trapping and release of the magnetic beads in the flow cell were controlled by a samarium-cobalt magnet and the flow of the carrier solution. The immunoassay was based on a sandwich immunoreaction of anti-Vg monoclonal antibody (primary antibody) on the magnetic beads, Vg, and the anti-Vg antibody labeled with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) (secondary antibody), and was based on a subsequent chemiluminescence reaction of HRP with hydrogen peroxide and p-iodophenol, in a luminol solution. The magnetic beads to which the primary antibody was immobilized were prepared by coupling the primary antibody with the magnetic beads after an agarose-layer on the surface of the magnetic beads was epoxidized. The primary antibody-immobilized magnetic beads were introduced, and trapped in the flow cell equipped with the samarium-cobalt magnet, a Vg sample solution, an HRP-labeled secondary antibody solution and the luminol solution were sequentially introduced into the flow cell based on an SIA programmed sequence. Chemiluminescence emission was monitored by means of a photomultiplier located at the upper side of the flow cell. The optimal incubation times both for the first and second immunoreactions were determined to be 20 min. A concave calibration curve was obtained between Vg concentration and chemiluminescence intensity when various concentrations of standard Vg samples (2–100 ng mL⁻¹) were applied to the SIA system under optimal conditions. In spite of a narrow working range, the lower detection limit of the immunoassay was about 2 ng mL⁻¹.     

Sequential injection chemiluminescence immunoassay for nonionic surfactants by using magnetic microbeads

A rapid and sensitive immunoassay based on a sequential injection analysis (SIA) using magnetic microbeads for the determination of alkylphenol polyethoxylates (APnEOs) is described. An SIA system was constructed from a syringe pump, a switching valve, a flow-through type immunoreaction cell equipped with a photon counting unit and a neodymium magnet. Magnetic beads, to which an anti-APnEOs monoclonal antibody was immobilized, were used as a solid support in an immunoassay. The introduction, trapping and release of the magnetic beads in and from the immunoreaction cell were controlled by means of a neodymium magnet and adjusting the flow of a carrier solution. The immunoassay was based on an indirect competitive immunoreaction of an anti-APnEOs monoclonal antibody immobilized on the magnetic beads with a sample APnEOs and a horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labeled APnEOs in the same sample solution, and was based on the subsequent chemiluminscence reaction of HRP on the magnetic microbeads with a luminol solution containing hydrogen peroxide and p-iodophenol. The anti-APnEOs antibody was immobilized on the magnetic microbeads by coupling the antibody with the magnetic beads after activation of a carboxylate moiety on the surface of the magnetic beads that had been coated with a polylactic acid film. The antibody immobilized magnetic beads were introduced in the immunoreaction cell and trapped in it by the neodymium magnet, which was equipped beneath the immunoreaction cell. An APnEOs sample solution containing the HRP-labeled APnEOs at a constant concentration, and a luminol solution containing hydrogen peroxide and p-iodophenol were sequentially introduced into the immunoreaction cell, according to an SIA programmed sequence. Chemiluminescence emission was monitored by means of a photon counting unit located at the upper side of the immunoreaction cell by collecting the emitted light with a lens. A typical sigmoidal calibration curve was obtained, when the logarithm of the concentration of APnEOs was plotted against the chemiluminescence intensity as the number of photons in 100 ms using standard APnEOs sample solutions at various concentrations (0–1000 ppb) under optimum conditions. The lower detection limit defined as IC₈₀ is ca 10 ppb. The time required for analysis is less than 15 min per a sample. The present method was successfully applied to the determination of APnEOs in river water.     

Sequential injection chemiluminescence immunoassay for anionic surfactants using magnetic microbeads immobilized with an antibody

A rapid and sensitive immunoassay for the determination of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS) is described. The method involves a sequential injection analysis (SIA) system equipped with a chemiluminescence detector and a neodymium magnet. Magnetic beads, to which an anti-LAS monoclonal antibody was immobilized, were used as a solid support in an immunoassay. The introduction, trapping and release of the magnetic beads in the flow cell were controlled by means of a neodymium magnet and adjusting the flow of the carrier solution. The immunoassay was based on an indirect competitive immunoreaction of an anti-LAS monoclonal antibody on the magnetic beads and the LAS sample and horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labeled LAS, and was based on the subsequent chemiluminscence reaction of HRP with hydrogen peroxide and p-iodophenol, in a luminol solution. The anti-LAS antibody was immobilized on the beads by coupling the antibody with the magnetic beads after activation of a carboxylate moiety on the surface of magnetic beads that had been coated with a polylactic acid film. The antibody immobilized magnetic beads were introduced, and trapped in the flow cell equipped with the neodymium magnet, an LAS solution containing HRP-labeled LAS at constant concentration and the luminol solution were sequentially introduced into the flow cell based on an SIA programmed sequence. Chemiluminescence emission was monitored by means of a photon counting unit located at the upper side of the flow cell by collecting the emitted light with a lens. A typical sigmoid calibration curve was obtained, when the logarithm of the concentration of LAS was plotted against the chemiluminescence intensity using various concentrations of standard LAS samples (0-500 ppb) under optimum conditions. The time required for analysis is less than 15 min.     

Spectrophotometric determination of carp vitellogenin using a sequential injection analysis technique equipped with a jet ring cell

A sequential injection analysis (SIA) technique, in which antibody-immobilized microbeads were transferred to a jet ring (JR) cell, was used in determination of carp vitellogenin (Vg). The determination is based on a sandwich immunoassay in which two types of reactions between anti carp Vg antibodies and carp Vg are used. Namely, the antibody for the first reaction step was immobilized on microbeads (Sephadex beads), and an antibody labeled with a horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was used in the second step of the reaction. A mixed solution of hydrogen peroxide and o-phenylenediamine (OPD) was used as the source of the chromophore in the reaction. The microbeads-immobilized antibody, Vg analyte, HRP-labeled anitbody and the color developing solution were introduced automatically into the JR cell of the SIA system in a programmed sequence, and the absorbance of the oxidized OPD product was used to determine the amount of Vg present. The optimal incubation times for the immuno-raction for the first and the second steps were determined at 120 and 60 min, respectively, taking into account the sensitivity to the Vg determination. Under these conditions, a good linear correlation was obtained between Vg concentration and the absorbance of the oxidized OPD. The lower detection limit for the determination of Vg was about 5 ng ml⁻¹ in this system. The method developed here represents a simple, accurate method for the determination method of Vg.     

One‐Step Electrochemical Immunoassay for Carcinoembryonic Antigen in Human via Back‐Filling Immobilization of Gold Nanoparticles on DNA‐Modified Gold Electrodes

A new amperometric immunobiosensor for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) determination in human serum was developed via encapsulation of horseradish peroxidase‐labeled carcinoembryonic antibody (HRP‐anti‐CEA) in a gold nanoparticles/DNA composite architecture. The presences of gold nanoparticles provided a congenial microenvironment for the immobilized biomolecules and decreased the electron transfer impedance, leading to a direct electrochemical behavior of the immobilized HRP. The formation of the antibody–antigen complex by a simple one‐step immunoreaction between the immobilized HRP‐anti‐CEA and CEA in sample solution introduced a barrier of direct electrical communication between the immobilized HRP and the gold electrode surface. Under optimal conditions, the current change obtained from the labeled HRP relative to H₂O₂ system was proportional to the CEA concentration in two linear ranges from 0.5 to 15 ng/mL and 15 to 300 ng/mL with a detection limit of 0.1 ng/mL (at 3δ). The precision and reproducibility are acceptable with the intraassay CV of 6.3% and 4.7% at 8 and 60 ng/mL CEA, respectively. The storage stability of the proposed immunosensor is acceptable in a pH 7.0 PBS at 4 °C for 9 days. Moreover, the proposed immunosensors were used to analyze CEA in human serum specimens. Analytical results of clinical samples show the developed immunoassay has a promising alternative approach for detecting CEA in the clinical diagnosis.     

Magnetic beads-based immunoassay as a sensitive alternative for atrazine analysis

A new immunoassay strategy for sensitive atrazine determination based on magnetic beads is reported. The immuno-method is a competitive solid-phase immunoassay where the anti-atrazine antibody is immobilized on the magnetic beads surface and fixed at the reaction cell bottom using a simple magnet, which generates a magnetic field. Analyte and HRP (horseradish peroxidase) tracer compete for active sites of antibody. After the immunointeractions antibody-analyte and antibody-tracer, atrazine quantification from the sample is performed by injection of the chemiluminescence substrate (luminol, hydrogen peroxide and p-iodophenol). Different antibodies (polyIgG anti-atrazine Ab I and affinity purified polyIgG anti-atrazine AbI) were tested in this configuration. Also, optimum concentration of antibody-covered magnetic beads was set up (8 mg/l Ab II). Finally, the performance of magnetic beads-based immunoassay for atrazine determination was evaluated demonstrating that the magnetic beads-based immunoassay is one of the most sensitive method for atrazine determination (LoD = 3 pg/l, IC₅₀ = 37 pg/l, DR = 10-1000 pg/l).     

管式磁微粒化学发光免疫分析法测定玉米样品中的黄曲霉毒素B1

开发了一种管式磁微粒化学发光免疫分析法测定玉米样品中黄曲霉毒素B1的方法,该方法使待测玉米样品中的黄曲霉毒素B1、辣根过氧化物酶标记的黄曲霉毒素B1与异硫氰酸荧光素(FITC)标记的黄曲霉毒素B1单克隆抗体在均相体系中发生竞争性免疫反应,再加入用抗FITC抗体包被的磁微粒作分离剂,抗原抗体复合物结合在磁微粒上,在磁场中经分离、洗涤后加发光底物,检测发光强度,测定玉米样品中黄曲霉毒素B1的含量.此方法标准曲线线性范围为0.05～5ng/mL,检测限为0.02ng/mL,批内相对标准偏差小于9%,批间相对标准偏差小于15%,具有良好的稳定性和重现性.     

Bioelectrochemical Magnetic Immunosensing of Trichloropyridinol: A Potential Insecticide Biomarker

A fast, simple and sensitive bioelectrochemical magnetic immunosensing method is developed to monitor a potential insecticide biomarker, trichloropyridinol (TCP), in environmental sample. A magnet/glassy carbon (MGC) working electrode was used to accumulate immunocomplex associated magnetic beads and separate free and unbound reagents after liquid phase competitive immunoreaction among TCP antibody coated magnetic beads, TCP analyte and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) labeled TCP. The activity of HRP tracers was monitored by square‐wave voltammetry (SWV) by scanning electrocactive enzymatic product in the presence of 3,3′,5,5′‐tetramethylbenzidine dihydrochloride and hydrogen peroxide (TMB‐H₂O₂) substrate solution. The electrochemical signal of enzymatic product was greatly enhanced by dual accumulation events: magnetic accumulation of enzyme tracers bound magnetic beads and constant potential accumulation of enzymatic product. The voltammetric characteristics of substrate and enzymatic product were investigated, and the parameters of SWV analysis and immunoassay were optimized. Under the optimal conditions the immunosensor was used to measure as low as 5 ng L^?1 (ppt) TCP, which is 50‐fold lower than the value indicated by the manufacture of the TCP RaPID Assay kit (0.25 μg/L, colorimetric detection). The performance of the developed immunosensing system was successfully evaluated with river water samples spiked with TCP, indicating this convenient and sensitive technique offers great promise for decentralized environmental application. This technique could be readily used for detection of other environmental contaminants by developing specific antibodies against the contaminants and are expected to open new opportunities for environmental monitoring and public health.     

Nanoparticle labelling-based magnetic immunoassay on chip combined with electrothermal vaporization-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for the determination of carcinoembryonic antigen in human serum

A sensitive and selective on chip magnetic immunoassay method, based on a sandwich-type immunoreaction with PbS nanoparticle (NPs) labels in combination with electrothermal vaporization-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ETV-ICP-MS), was proposed for the determination of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). We designed and fabricated a microfluidic chip for magnetic immunoassay, and the prepared iminodiacetic acid modified silica coated magnetic nanoparticles (IDA-SCMNPs) were packed into the central microchannel to form a solid phase column by self-assembly under the magnetic field. After completion of the immunoreaction involving a primary antibody, CEA and a secondary antibody labeled with PbS NPs on a magnetic solid phase packed-column, ETV-ICP-MS was used to determine the concentration of Pb that was released from the captured PbS NPs using an acid-dissolution step. The concentrations of CEA can be correlated with that of Pb. The established method demonstrated a limit of detection of 0.058 μg L(-1) for CEA, with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 6.7% (c = 10 μg L(-1), n = 7). A linearity ranging from 0.2 μg L(-1) to 50 μg L(-1) and a 2-fold enrichment factor (from 60 μL sample solution to 30 μL eluent) were achieved. The proposed method was further validated by analyzing CEA in human serum. The results were in good agreement with those obtained by chemiluminescent immunoassay, which is currently used as a clinical method. Overall, this method offers the advantages of high speed, high sensitivity, high selectivity, low sample/reagents consumption, high integrity and versatility. Moreover, it can be easily applied to other biological and medical assays.     

Electrochemical enzyme immunoassay using immobilized antibody on gold film with monitoring of surface plasmon resonance signal

Sandwich immunoassay was conducted on a thin gold film set in a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) cell. Monochronal antibody (anti-IgG) was immobilized onto the gold film via 4,4′-dithiodibutyric acid (DDA) and avidin-biotin bonding. Next, IgG sample and alkaline phosphatase-conjugated anti-IgG (ALP anti-IgG) were introduced into the cell successively. Finally, p-aminophenyl phosphate (PAPP) was injected as an enzyme substrate, and the produced p-aminophenol (PAP) was electrochemically measured. Flow did not need to be stopped for incubation for the enzyme reaction, because of the thinness of the cell. In these processes, all the antigen-antibody reactions took place on the gold film. Therefore, the immobilization was performed quickly, and each process could be confirmed by SPR signal. This system had the advantage that the middle of the complicated process could be monitored. For example, the amount of antibody immobilized, which affected on the final electrochemical signal, could be confirmed in the course of immobilization. It was also convenient to investigate process conditions, such as removal of used antigens and labeled antibodies. Good correlation was obtained between the electrochemical current and the SPR signals due to the adsorption of IgG and ALP anti-IgG, and the sensitivity of the electrochemical measurement was much higher than the SPR’s.     

Quantum-dots based electrochemical immunoassay of interleukin-1α

We describe a quantum-dot (QD, CdSe@ZnS) based electrochemical immunoassay to detect a protein biomarker, interleukin-1α (IL-1α). QD conjugated with anti-IL-1α antibody was used as a label in an immunorecognition event. After a complete sandwich immunoreaction among the primary IL-1α antibody (immobilized on the avidin-modified magnetic beads), IL-1α, and the QD-labeled secondary antibody, QD labels were attached to the magnetic-bead surface through the antibody-antigen immunocomplex. Electrochemical stripping analysis of the captured QDs was used to quantify the concentration of IL-1α after an acid-dissolution step. The streptavidin-modified magnetic beads and the magnetic separation platform were used to integrate a facile antibody immobilization (through a biotin/streptavidin interaction) with immunoreactions and the isolation of immunocomplexes from reaction solutions in the assay. The voltammetric response is highly linear over the range of 0.5–50 ng ml⁻¹ IL-1α, and the limit of detection is estimated to be 0.3 ng ml⁻¹ (18 pM). This QD-based electrochemical immunoassay shows great promise for rapid, simple, and cost-effective analysis of protein biomarkers.     

Immobilization of aminophenylboronic acid on magnetic beads for the direct determination of glycoproteins by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry

Aminophenylboronic acid (APBA) has been immobilized on magnetic beads for the direct determination of glycoprotein by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionizaton time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). An APBA layer was formed on the surface of carboxylic acid terminated magnetic beads by coupling with carbodiimide and subsequently reacted with an N-hydroxysuccinimide moiety. The immobilized APBA was identified by MALDI-TOF-MS without a matrix. Glycoproteins, such as HbA1c, fibrinogen, or RNase B were separated and desalted using APBA magnetic beads by simply washing the magnetic beads and then separating them by external magnet. Proteins can be identified by direct determination of proteins on beads on MALDI plate and confirmed again by peptide mass finger printing after digestion of proteins on magnetic beads by trypsin. Fluorescence image with a FITC tagging protein using confocal laser microscopy showed the difference of immobilization efficiency between glycoproteins and nonglycoproteins. The methods developed within this work allow the simple treatment and enrichment of glycoproteins as well as direct determination of proteins on beads by MALDI-TOF-MS.     

Magnetic beads-based electrochemical immunosensor for detection of pseudorabies virus antibody in swine serum

A novel magnetic electrochemical immunosensor has been developed for the detection of pseudorabies virus antibody in swine serum. The magnetic glass carbon electrode was fabricated to manipulate magnetic beads for the direct sensing applications. Magnetic beads were employed as the platforms for the immobilization and immunoreaction process, and gold nanoparticles were chosen as electroactive labels for the electrochemical detection. The parameters concerning the assay strategy were carefully investigated. Under the optimal conditions, the linear response range of pseudorabies virus antibody dilution ratio (standard positive serum) was 1:250 to 1:1000 with a detection limit of 1:1000. Finally, this developed immunoassay method was successfully applied in the detection of pseudorabies virus antibody in swine serum, and had a good diagnostic accordance in comparison with ELISA.     

高灵敏度化学发光磁酶免疫法检测人绒毛膜促性腺激素

将磁性微粒与抗体的偶联,通过优化偶联条件提高了偶联效率,制备了高灵敏度的磁微粒生物探针;采用3-(2-螺旋金刚烷)-4-甲氧基-4-(3-邻氧酰苯基)-1,2-二氧杂环丁烷(AMPPD)--碱性磷酸酶(ALP)化学发光体系,建立了化学发光磁酶免疫检测方法;对检测方法进行了优化和改进,提高了系统的灵敏度和检测速度,并对HCG样品进行相关检测.结果表明,HCG浓度在0.15～150 IU/L范围内,光强随HCG浓度增大而增加,两者之间线性关系良好,相关系数r为0.960;检出限可达0.15 IU/L; 相对标准偏差(RSD)小于5%; 检测总时间少于1 h.本方法可以应用于其它免疫分子的检测,在临床免疫检测方面具有广阔的应用前景.     

Improvement of analytical performances of a disposable electrochemical immunosensor by using magnetic beads

A comparison of two electrochemical immunosensing strategies for PCBs detection, based on the use of two different solid phases, is here discussed. In both cases, carbon-based screen-printed electrodes (SPEs) are used as transducers in a direct competitive immunoassay scheme, where PCBs in solution compete with the tracer PCB28-alkaline phosphatase (AP) labeled for antibodies immobilized onto the solid-phase.In the standard format (called EI strategy), SPEs are both the solid-phase for immunoassay and electrochemical transducers: in this case the immunochemical reaction occurs onto the working electrode. Finally, the enzymatic substrate is added and an electroactive product is generated and detected by electrochemical measurement. In order to improve the performances of the system, a new approach (called EMI strategy) is developed by using functionalized magnetic beads as solid phase for the competitive assay; only after the immunosensing step they are captured by a magnet onto the working surface of the SPE for the electrochemical detection.Experimental results evidenced that the configuration based on the use of separate surfaces for immunoassay and for electrochemical detection gave the best results in terms of sensitivity and speed of the analysis. The improvement of analytical performances of the immunosensor based on EMI strategy was also demonstrated by the analysis of some spiked samples.     

Automatic detecting and counting magnetic beads‐labeled target cells from a suspension in a microfluidic chip

A novel microfluidic method of continually detecting and counting beads‐labeled cells from a cell mixture without fluorescence labeling was presented in this paper. The detection system is composed of a microfluidic chip (with a permanent magnet inserted along the channel), a signal amplification circuit, and a LabView® based data acquisition device. The microfluidic chip can be functionally divided into separation zone and detection zone. By flowing the pre‐labeled sample solution, the target cells will be sequentially separated at the separation zone by the permanent magnet and detected and counted at the detection zone by a microfluidic resistive pulse sensor. Experiments of positive separation and detection of T‐lymphocytes and negative separation and detection of cancer cells from the whole blood samples were carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of this method. The methodology of utilizing size difference between magnetic beads and cell‐magnetic beads complex for beads‐labeled cell detection is simple, automatic, and particularly suitable for beads‐based immunoassay without using fluorescence labeling.     

Disposable amperometric magnetoimmunosensor for the sensitive detection of the cardiac biomarker amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide in human serum

A novel amperometric magnetoimmunosensor using an indirect competitive format is developed for the sensitive detection of the amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). The immunosensor design involves the covalent immobilization of the antigen onto carboxylic-modified magnetic beads (HOOC-MBs) activated with N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N′-ethylcarbodiimide (EDC) and N-hydroxysulfosuccinimide (sulfo-NHS), and further incubation in a mixture solution containing variable concentrations of the antigen and a fixed concentration of an HRP-labeled detection antibody. Accordingly, the target NT-proBNP in the sample and that immobilized on the MBs compete for binding to a fixed amount of the specific HRP-labeled secondary antibody. The immunoconjugate-bearing MBs are captured by a magnet placed under the surface of a disposable gold screen-printed electrode (Au/SPE). The amperometric responses measured at –0.10 V (vs. a Ag pseudo-reference electrode), upon addition of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) as electron transfer mediator and H₂O₂ as the enzyme substrate, are used to monitor the affinity reaction. The developed magnetoimmunosensor provides attractive analytical characteristics in 10-times diluted human serum samples, exhibiting a linear range of clinical usefulness (0.12–42.9 ng mL⁻¹) and a detection limit of 0.02 ng mL⁻¹, which can be used in clinical diagnosis of chronic heart failure in the elderly and for classifying patients at risk of death after heart transplantation. The magnetoimmunosensor was successfully applied to the analysis of spiked human serum samples.     

On-column capture of a specific protein in capillary electrophoresis using magnetic beads

A method for capturing specific molecules separated by CE has been explored. To demonstrate on-column capture of migrating analyte molecules, two detection windows were fabricated on a capillary. Magnetic beads containing immobilized molecules that react with the specific molecules under study were placed between the detection windows in the capillary using magnets. Molecules in a sample solution injected into the capillary were separated and detected at the first detection window. After passing through the first detection window, the separated molecules encountered the magnetic beads, where the specific analyte was captured. As a result, the peak area for those analyte molecules decreased or disappeared completely at the second detection window. Rabbit IgG and carbonic anhydrase were employed to demonstrate on-column capture of a specific molecule. For rabbit IgG, magnetic beads containing the immobilized antibody (anti-rabbit IgG) were used. Rabbit IgG molecules were captured on the magnetic beads during CE migration. Furthermore, the capture of carbonic anhydrase was demonstrated by the reaction between magnetic beads (containing immobilized anti-rabbit IgG) and anti-carbonic anhydrase (rabbit IgG), before the beads were packed in the capillary. After packing the magnetic beads in the capillary, a mixture of two proteins was injected into the capillary. Two proteins were detected at the first detection window, while the peak corresponding to carbonic anhydrase disappeared at the second detection window. The results show that using an appropriate antibody, the present technique would be applicable to any proteins.     

Highly sensitive rapid chemiluminescent immunoassay using the DNAzyme label for signal amplification

A novel trace tag for chemiluminescent (CL) immunoassay was designed by using DNAzyme to functionalize antibody-labeled Au nanoparticles (AuNPs). The trace tag showed an excellent ability to catalyze the oxidation of luminol by hydrogen peroxide, leading to strong CL emission. By coupling the trace tag with a passive mixing accelerated immunoreaction system, a highly sensitive rapid flow-through CL immunoassay method was proposed. Using carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as a model analyte, the capture antibody for CEA was immobilized on paramagnetic microspheres, and DNAzyme-anti-CEA antibody functionalized AuNPs were prepared as trace tag. A three-dimensional helical glass tube kept at 37 °C in a water bath was used for passively mixing immunoreagents in a two-step sandwich immunoassay, with which each immunoreaction step could be finished within 150 s. With the help of a magnet, the immunocomplex could conveniently be separated from reactants. Compared with the horseradish peroxidase-based tag, the newly designed trace tag showed obvious signal amplification due to its strong catalytic ability and high loading ratio of DNAzyme on each AuNP. The proposed method showed a linear calibration range from 0.005 to 0.5 ng mL(-1) for CEA detection with a detection limit of 4.1 pg mL(-1) at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 and acceptable detection reproducibility. The assay results of clinical serum samples were in acceptable agreement with the reference values. The designed immunoassay system with ultrahigh sensitivity provided a programmable and low-cost approach for high-throughput clinical application.     

Sequential injection immunoassay for environmental measurements

Sequential injection immunoassay systems for environmental measurements based on the selective immunoreaction between antigen and antibody were described. A sequential injection analysis (SIA) technique is suitable to be applied for the procedure of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), because the washing and the addition of reagent solutions can be automated by using a computer-controlled syringe pump and switching valve. We selected vitellogenin (Vg), which is a biomarker for evaluating environmental risk caused by endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the hydrosphere, and linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS) and alkylphenol polyethoxylates (APEO), which are versatile surfactants, as target analytes in the flow immunoassay systems. For Vg monitoring, SIA systems based on spectrophotometric, chemiluminescence, and electrochemical determinations were constructed. On the other hand, chemiluminescence determination was applied to the detection of LAS and APEO. For APEO, an SIA system combined with surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor was also developed. These new sequential injection immunoassay systems are expected to be useful systems for environmental analysis.