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Convenient formation of nanoparticle aggregates on microfluidic chips for highly sensitive SERS detection of biomolecules

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Abstract

Microfluidic chips combined with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) offer an outstanding platform for rapid and high-sensitivity chemical analysis. However, it is nontrivial to conveniently form nanoparticle aggregrates (as SERS-active spots for SERS detection) in microchannels in a well-controlled manner. Here, we present a rapid, highly sensitive and label-free analytical technique for determining bovine serum albumin (BSA) on a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microfluidic chip using SERS. A modified PDMS pneumatic valve and nanopost arrays at the bottom of the fluidic microchannel are used for reversibly trapping gold nanoparticles to form gold aggregates, creating SERS-active spots for Raman detection. We fabricated a chip that consisted of a T-shaped fluidic channel and two modified pneumatic valves, which was suitable for fast loading of samples. Quantitative analysis of BSA is demonstrated with the measured peak intensity at 1,615 cm−1 in the surface-enhanced Raman spectra. With our microfluidic chip, the detection limit of Raman can reach as low as the picomolar level, comparable to that of normal mass spectrometry.

A convenient strategy for rapid formation of gold nanoparticle aggregates on microfluidic chips was developed. A modified poly(dimethylsiloxane) pneumatic valve and nanopost arrays at the bottom of the fluidic microchannel were used for reversibly trapping gold nanoparticles to form gold aggregates, creating SERS-active spots for sensitive surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy detection. The detection limit of Raman can reach as low as the picomolar level with our microfluidic chip.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Prof. Xiaoyuan Li (Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong) for allowing us to use their Raman instruments. This work was supported by the Hong Kong RGC (#605210).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China

    Jianhua Zhou, Kangning Ren, Yihua Zhao, Wen Dai & Hongkai Wu

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  1. Jianhua Zhou
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  2. Kangning Ren
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  3. Yihua Zhao
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  4. Wen Dai
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  5. Hongkai Wu
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Correspondence to Hongkai Wu.

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Zhou, J., Ren, K., Zhao, Y. et al. Convenient formation of nanoparticle aggregates on microfluidic chips for highly sensitive SERS detection of biomolecules. Anal Bioanal Chem 402, 1601–1609 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-011-5585-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-011-5585-z

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