Colorimetric detection based on localised surface plasmon resonance of gold nanoparticles: Merits, inherent shortcomings and future prospects

Yanlin Zhang; Ian D McKelvie; Robert W Cattrall; Spas D Kolev

doi:10.1016/j.talanta.2016.02.015

Colorimetric detection based on localised surface plasmon resonance of gold nanoparticles: Merits, inherent shortcomings and future prospects

Talanta. 2016 May 15:152:410-22. doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2016.02.015. Epub 2016 Feb 24.

Authors

Yanlin Zhang¹, Ian D McKelvie², Robert W Cattrall¹, Spas D Kolev³

Affiliations

¹ School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
² School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia; School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Plymouth University, Plymouth PL4 8AA, United Kingdom. Electronic address: iandm@unimelb.edu.au.
³ School of Chemistry, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia; Centre for Aquatic Pollution Identification and Management (CAPIM), The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. Electronic address: s.kolev@unimelb.edu.au.

PMID: 26992537
DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2016.02.015

Abstract

Localised surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) has been exploited for two decades in analytical science and has proven to be a powerful tool for the detection of various kinds of substances including small molecules, ions, macro biomolecules and microbes. Detection can be performed by visual colour change observations, photometry or resonance light scattering. A wide range of applications have been studied in the areas of environmental, pharmaceutical and biological analysis and clinical diagnosis. In this article, some fundamental aspects and important applications involving LSPR of AuNPs are reviewed. Several inherent shortcomings of these techniques and possible strategies to circumvent them are discussed.

Keywords: Colorimetric detection; Gold nanoparticles; Localised surface plasmon resonance.

Publication types

Review