Lossless enrichment of trace analytes in levitating droplets for multiphase and multiplex detection.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 36528683.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-022-35495-9 and PMC identifier 9759559.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Concentrating a trace amount of molecules from liquids, solid objects, or the gas phase and delivering them to a localized area are crucial for almost any trace analyte detection device. Analytes within a liquid droplet resting on micro/nanostructured surfaces with liquid-repellent coatings can be concentrated during solvent evaporation. However, these coatings suffer from complex manufacturing procedures, poor versatility, and limited analyte enrichment efficiency. Here, we report on the use of an acoustic levitation platform to losslessly concentrate the analyte molecules dissolved in any volatile liquid, attached to solid objects, or spread in air. Gold nanoparticles can be simultaneously concentrated with the analytes in different phases, realizing sensitive, surface-enhanced Raman scattering detection even at attomolar (10<sup>-18</sup> mol/L) concentration levels. The acoustic levitation platform-enabled, lossless analyte enrichment can significantly increase the analytical performance of many conventional microsensing techniques.
Medical subject headings
- Metal Nanoparticles
- Nanostructures