Development and Bioanalytical Applications of a White Light Reflectance Spectroscopy Label-Free Sensing Platform

• Published in: Biosensors (Basel) Vol. 7; no. 4; p. 46
• Main Authors: Koukouvinos, Georgios, Petrou, Panagiota, Goustouridis, Dimitrios, Misiakos, Konstantinos, Kakabakos, Sotirios, Raptis, Ioannis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 13-10-2017; MDPI
• Subjects: Agrochemicals; Biosensors; Detection; fast assays; label-free determinations; low molecular weight molecules; Low molecular weights; Molecular weight; Organic compounds; Pesticides; Polymer films; protein analytes; Proteins; Reflectance; Review; Spectroscopy; Spectrum analysis; VOCs; Volatile organic compounds; White light; white light reflectance spectroscopy; label-free determinations; white light reflectance spectroscopy; volatile organic compounds; protein analytes; low molecular weight molecules; fast assays
• ISSN: 2079-6374; 2079-6374
• DOI: 10.3390/bios7040046

The development of a sensing platform based on white light reflectance spectroscopy (WLRS) is presented. The evolution of the system, from polymer film characterization and sensing of volatile organic compounds to biosensor for the label-free determination of either high (e.g., proteins) or low molecular weight analytes (e.g., pesticides), is described. At the same time, the passage from single to multi-analyte determinations, and from a laboratory prototype set-up to a compact device appropriate for on-site determination, is outlined. The improvements made on both the sensor and the optical set-up, and the concomitant advances in the analytical characteristics and the robustness of the assays performed with the different layouts, are also presented. Finally, the future perspectives of the system, aiming for the creation of a standalone instrument to be used by non-experts, will be discussed.