Lyophilization of colloidal metals for surface enhanced Raman scattering

• US 20030017620A1
• Filed: 06/21/2002
• Published: 01/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: University of Wyoming
• Original Assignee: University of Wyoming
• Inventors: Sulk, Roberta A., Ray, Bryan Hubert, Carron, Keith T.
• Application Number:
  US10/177,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20030017620A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 436/525
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/658 enhancement Raman, e.g. surface plasmons
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54373 involving physiochemical end-point determination, e.g. wave-guides, FETS, gratings
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/54393 Improving reaction conditions or stability, e.g. by coating or irradiation of surface, by reduction of non-specific binding, by promotion of specific binding
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 including sample preparation

Abstract

An assay and method of making same for use in SERS spectroscopy. The assay includes colloidal particles of a metal, which have been lyophilized. The lyophilized particles of metal produce a SERS active solution when reconstituted. The lyophilized particles of metal may be provided in a container in an assay system.

Claims

1. An assay for use in SERS spectroscopy, the assay comprising lyophilized colloidal particles of a metal, which when reconstituted, produce a SERS active solution.

2. The assay of claim 1, wherein the metal is a noble metal.

3. The assay of claim 1, wherein the assay is used in SERS spectroscopy to determine the concentration of an unknown solution.

4. The assay of claim 1, further comprising a material for preventing the particles from sticking to one another.

5. The assay of claim 4, wherein the material comprises a wax-like material.

6. The assay of claim 4, wherein the material comprises polyethylene glycol.

58. The assay of claim 1, further comprising an antibody.

7. An assay system for use in SERS spectroscopy, the assay system comprising:

a container;

lyophilized colloidal particles of a metal disposed in a first section of the container;

wherein reconstitution of the lyophilized colloidal particles of a metal produce a SERS active solution.

8. The assay system of claim 7, wherein the metal is a noble metal.

9. The assay system of claim 7, further comprising a closure for sealing the container.

10. The assay system of claim 7, further comprising a reagent disposed in a second section of the container, the reagent for coupling an analyte to a SERS active metal.

11. The assay system of claim 10, wherein the second section of the container is remote from the first section of the container.

12. The assay system of claim 7, further comprising a material for preventing the particles from sticking to one another.

13. The assay system of claim 12, wherein the material comprises a wax-like material.

14. The assay system of claim 12, wherein the material comprises polyethylene glycol.

15. The assay system of claim 12, further comprising a pretreatment disposed on an inner surface of the container, the pretreatment for preventing the particles from sticking to one another and sticking to the inner surface of the container.

16. The assay system of claim 15, wherein the pretreatment comprises a wax-like material.

17. The assay system of claim 15, wherein the pretreatment comprises polyethylene glycol.

18. The assay system of claim 7, further comprising a pretreatment disposed on an inner surface of the container, the pretreatment for preventing the particles from sticking to one another and sticking to the inner surface of the container.

19. The assay system of claim 18, wherein the pretreatment comprises a wax-like material.

20. The assay system of claim 18, wherein the pretreatment comprises polyethylene glycol.

21. The assay system of claim 7, wherein the assay is used in SERS spectroscopy to determine the concentration of an unknown solution.

22. The assay system of claim 7, wherein the first section of the container includes a plurality of wells and lyophilized colloidal particles of a metal disposed in each of the wells.

23. The assay system of claim 22, wherein the lyophilized colloidal particles of metal include an antibody.

24. The assay system of claim 23, wherein the assay system forms a Surface Enhanced Raman ImmunoAssay.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the metal is a noble metal.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of mixing the colloidal particles of metal with a material prior to the lyophilizing step, the material preventing the particles from sticking to one another.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the material comprises a wax-like material.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the material comprises polyethylene glycol.

59. The assay system of claim 7, further comprising an antibody.

60. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of mixing the suspension of colloidal particles of metal with an antibody prior to the lyophilizing step.

25. A method of producing an assay for use in SERS spectroscopy, the method comprising:

providing a suspension of colloidal particles of metal;

lyophilizing the suspension of colloidal particles of metal to produce the assay, which when reconstituted, produce a SERS active solution.

30. A method of making an assay system for use in SERS spectroscopy, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a container;

placing a suspension of colloidal particles of a metal in a first section of the container;

lyophilizing the suspension of colloidal particles of the metal to produce an assay, which when reconstituted, produce a SERS active solution.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the metal is a noble metal.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of mixing the suspension of colloidal particles of metal with a material prior to the placing step, the material preventing the particles from sticking to one another.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the material comprises a wax-like material.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the material comprises polyethylene glycol.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the container providing step includes applying a pretreatment to an inner surface of the container, the pretreatment for preventing the particles from sticking to one another and sticking to the inner surface of the container.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the pretreatment comprises a wax-like material.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the pretreatment comprises polyethylene glycol.

38. The method of claim 30, further comprising the step of placing a reagent in a second section of the container, the reagent for coupling an analyte to a SERS active metal.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the lyophilizing step further includes lyophilizing the reagent.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the second section of the container is remote from the first section of the container.

41. The method of claim 30, where the container providing step includes applying a pretreatment to an inner surface of the container, the pretreatment for preventing the particles from sticking to one another and sticking to the inner surface of the container.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the pretreatment comprises a wax-like material.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the pretreatment comprises polyethylene glycol.

61. The method of claim 30, wherein the first section of the container includes a plurality of wells and lyophilized colloidal particles of a metal are placed in each of the wells.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the lyophilized colloidal particles of metal include an antibody.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the assay system forms a Surface Enhanced Raman ImmunoAssay.

44. A method of analyzing a material, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a container;

placing a suspension of colloidal particles of a metal in a first section of the container;

lyophilizing the colloidal particles of the metal to produce an assay;

simultaneously reconstituting and mixing the assay with the material to be analyzed to produce a SERS active solution;

performing SERS spectroscopy on the SERS active solution.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the metal is a noble metal.

46. The method of claim 44, further comprising the step of mixing the suspension of colloidal particles of metal with a material prior to the placing step, the material preventing the particles from sticking to one another.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the material comprises a wax-like material.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the material comprises polyethylene glycol.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the container providing step includes applying a pretreatment to an inner surface of the container, the pretreatment for preventing the particles from sticking to one another and sticking to the inner surface of the container.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the pretreatment comprises a wax-like material.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the pretreatment comprises polyethylene glycol.

52. The method of claim 44, further comprising the step of placing a reagent in a second section of the container, the reagent for coupling an analyte to a SERS active metal.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the lyophilizing step further includes lyophilizing the reagent.

54. The method of claim 52, wherein the second section of the container is remote from the first section of the container.

55. The method of claim 44, where the container providing step includes applying a pretreatment to an inner surface of the container, the pretreatment for preventing the particles from sticking to one another and sticking to the inner surface of the container.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the pretreatment comprises a wax-like material.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein the pretreatment comprises polyethylene glycol.