Novel Sensing Strategies Based on Monolayer Protected Gold Nanoparticles for the Detection of Metal Ions and Small Molecules

• Published in: Chemical record Vol. 18; no. 7-8; pp. 819 - 828
• Main Authors: Ertem, Elif, Diez‐Castellnou, Marta, Ong, Quy Khac, Stellacci, Francesco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.07.2018
• Subjects: Detection; Gold; Heavy metals; Ions; Ligands; Metal ions; Molecular chains; Monolayer-Protected Gold Nanoparticles; Monolayers; Nanoparticles; Optical properties; Recognition; Self-Assembled Monolayers (SAMs); Sensing; Sensitivity analysis; Small molecules; Sensing; Small molecules; Monolayer-Protected Gold Nanoparticles; Self-Assembled Monolayers (SAMs); Recognition; Metal ions
• ISSN: 1527-8999; 1528-0691
• DOI: 10.1002/tcr.201700065

Monolayer protected gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have a huge potential for the development of innovative sensing systems for the detection of metal ions and small molecules. The organic ligand shell, primarily utilized to stabilize the gold core, can be rationally designed to promote selective interactions with a desired analyte. In addition, the outstanding physical and optical properties of AuNPs can be exploited to obtain analytically useful signals upon analyte binding. In this account, we review recent advances in AuNP‐based sensing systems emphasizing on the rational design of the ligand shell for detection of heavy metal ions and small molecules. We examine various strategies of detection by evaluating their improvements in terms of sensitivity, selectivity and applicability to real samples.