Chapter 5 - Nanobiosensors

Abstract

Nanotechnology and its applications in diverse areas have recently generated tremendous interest;utilizing the advantages of this diversity is the focus of research by different groups throughout the world. This chapter presents the application of nanotechnology in different biosensor applications and its advantages in enhancing biosensor parameters such as sensitivity, selectivity, economics, and response time. It discusses several examples of nanotechnology-based biosensing applications including Au nanoaggregates for optical DNA detection, nano-bio-chips (NBCs) for high performance protein detection, determination of cancer markers using quantum dot (QD) bioconjugate labels, glucose sensors based on renewable electrospun Ni nanoparticle-loaded carbon nanofiber paste (NiCFP) electrodes, use of gold nanoparticles in a sensitive immunochromatographic assay for the detection of PSA (prostate specific antigen), nanotube-based biosensors for the detection of disease-specific autoantibodies in human serum, gold nanoparticle amperometric immunosensors (biosensors) for osteoproteogerin (OPG), label-free antigen-antibody binding on a gold nanoparticle sensor array, combined fluorescence and SERS molecular beacon assay to detect human viral RNA, and electrochemical immunosensing using magnetic beads and gold nanoparticles. These examples provide a perspective of the different nanotechnology techniques and processes that have been recently used to develop effective nanobiosensors. Other recent applications of nanotechnology for biosensor applications have been presented at recent conferences for the detection of different analytes, including biomedical applications, DNA, and other applications such as aptamer-target interactions, humidity sensing, enzyme kinetics, mycotoxins, electrochemical immunoassays, and pathogen detection.