Electrochemical sensors based on metal and semiconductor nanoparticles

Metal and semiconductor nanoparticles exhibit unique optical, electrical, thermal and catalytic properties. Therefore, they have attracted considerable interest and have been employed for construction of various electrochemical sensors. This minireview gives a general view of recent advances in electrochemical sensor development based on metal and semiconductor nanoparticles covering genosensors, protein and enzyme-based sensors, gas sensors and sensor for other organic and inorganic substances. Different assay strategies based on metal and semiconductor nanoparticles for biosensor and bioelectronic applications are presented, including electrochemical, electrical, and magnetic signal transduction techniques. Electrochemical transduction principles provide signal changes in conductance, charge, potential and current. We have paid much attention to the potential-based and current-based sensors herein. Lastly, a brief introduction is given into advances concerning the role of nanoparticles, quantum dots and nanowires for nanomedicine, such as drug delivery and discovery.