Optical nanosensors for detecting disease markers and environmental pollutants: new approaches to design

Optical nanosensors convert changes in the properties of nano-objects placed in the test medium and interacting with the molecules being analyzed into analytically useful information. This information includes the characteristics of light emission and their changes due to various optical effects (absorption, fl uorescence, elastic and Raman light scattering, etc.). The main advantages of optical nanosensors are the simplicity and rapidity of analysis, low cost, and the ability to be used directly at the sampling site. The use of optical nanosensors opens up new possibilities in clinical laboratory diagnostics, including personalized medicine, food and food raw material monitoring, and environmental monitoring. The operating principles of nanosensors based on dynamic light scattering are considered. New approaches for nanosensor design developed at All Russian Scientifi c and Research Institute for Optical and Physical Measurements (VNIIOFI) are described. These approaches reduce the size of nanoparticle aggregates with increasing analyte concentration (sensor for an antibiotic in milk and water) or utilize the combined use of static and dynamic light scattering (a sensor for a fungal pathogen). The operation principles of nanosensors based on fl uorescence effects are presented. A nanosensor developed for glutathione (a compound that plays an important role in protecting the body from oxidative stress) is presented. This nanosensor utilizes the analyte-induced reduction of quenched fl uorescence in quantum dots. Prospects for the application of the obtained results and the further development of optical nanosensors are discussed.

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