Efficient green synthesis of biocompatible MPN fluorescent microspheres via hydrophobic-force-driven strategy for enhanced immunochromatographic assays

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Type
Article
Citation
Lai, X., Huang, S., Zhang, G., Ang, E. H., Yuan, H., Su, L., Liu, C., Deng, S., & Lai, W. (2024). Efficient green synthesis of biocompatible MPN fluorescent microspheres via hydrophobic-force-driven strategy for enhanced immunochromatographic assays. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 480, Article 136390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.136390
Author
Lai, Xiaocui
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Huang, Shijin
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Zhang, Ganggang
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Ang, Edison Huixiang 
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Yuan, Hongxin
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Su, Liu
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Liu, Cong
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Deng, Shengliang
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Lai, Weihua
Abstract
The unique fluorescence properties of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorescent microspheres (FMs) make them ideal signal markers. Traditional synthesis methods are complex, labor-intensive, and hazardous, leading to AIEFMs that lack biocompatibility and require further modification for immunoprobe preparation. This study introduces a novel hydrophobic force-driven method for rapid synthesis of highly biocompatible FMs (H-FMs), demonstrating their benefits in immunochromatographic assay (ICA) applications. The metal-polyphenol network (MPN) shell around the AIEgen core structure of H-FMs is quickly and safely formed by depositing MPN onto AIEgen nano-aggregates, achieving high dye utilization, affordability, and design flexibility, while producing H-FMs with fluorescence across 300–800 nm. The excellent biocompatibility of H-FMs eliminates the need for additional modifications, allowing antibodies to be coupled swiftly (within 10 min) with a high coupling efficiency of 93.4 %. The resulting immunoprobes exhibit strong target recognition and 90.6 % fluorescence retention over 30 days. These features support their application in double antibody sandwich and competitive ICA formats, with detection limits of 9.62 × 10² CFU/mL for E. coli O157:H7 and 0.0081 ng/mL for AFM1. This study provides new insights into designing fluorescent probes for safety monitoring of hazardous materials in the environment.
Date Issued
2024
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal
Journal of Hazardous Materials
DOI
10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.136390