Colorimetric Immunosensor by Aggregation of Photochemically Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles

A colorimetric immunosensor based on local surface plasmon resonance by gold nanoparticles is presented, and its application for the detection of human immunoglobulin G (IgG) is demonstrated. The color change of the colloidal solution is produced by nanoparticle aggregation, a process that can be tuned by the presence of the analyte once the nanoparticles are functionalized. In comparison to common functionalization techniques, the procedure described here is simpler, low-cost, and effective in binding antibodies upright on the gold surface. The dose-response curve is similar to that resulting in typical immunoassay platforms and is satisfactorily described by the proposed theoretical model. Human IgG at concentration levels of few hundreds of nanograms per milliliter can be detected by eyes within a few minutes, thereby making the colorimetric immunosensor proposed here a powerful tool in several areas, with urine test in medical diagnostics being the most immediate.