Noble metal nanoparticles in biosensors: recent studies and applications

TLDR

Noble metal nanoparticles are prized in biosensing for their large surface area, catalytic activity, efficient electron transfer, and biocompatibility, enabling enhanced biorecognition and signal transduction across electrochemical, optical, and piezoelectric platforms. This review surveys recent advances in noble metal nanoparticle–based biosensors, outlining their principles and key functions across various transduction modalities. The authors examine how MNPs are integrated into electrochemical, optical, and piezoelectric biosensors, detailing their roles in signal amplification and transduction. MNP-based sensors achieve substantial signal amplification, heightened sensitivity, and improved detection of biomolecules and ions, with recent studies highlighting how particle structure, shape, and hybridization influence performance.

Abstract

The aim of this review is to cover advances in noble metal nanoparticle (MNP)-based biosensors and to outline the principles and main functions of MNPs in different classes of biosensors according to the transduction methods employed. The important biorecognition elements are enzymes, antibodies, aptamers, DNA sequences, and whole cells. The main readouts are electrochemical (amperometric and voltametric), optical (surface plasmon resonance, colorimetric, chemiluminescence, photoelectrochemical, etc.) and piezoelectric. MNPs have received attention for applications in biosensing due to their fascinating properties. These properties include a large surface area that enhances biorecognizers and receptor immobilization, good ability for reaction catalysis and electron transfer, and good biocompatibility. MNPs can be used alone and in combination with other classes of nanostructures. MNP-based sensors can lead to significant signal amplification, higher sensitivity, and great improvements in the detection and quantification of biomolecules and different ions. Some recent examples of biomolecular sensors using MNPs are given, and the effects of structure, shape, and other physical properties of noble MNPs and nanohybrids in biosensor performance are discussed.