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Water relaxation-based sensors

  • US 8,535,949 B2
  • Filed: 11/04/2009
  • Issued: 09/17/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2005
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of detecting an analyte in an aqueous sample for periodic or continuous remote monitoring of an analyte concentration in a subject, the method comprising:

  • (i) providing a water relaxation sensor comprising;

    (a) a walled enclosure enveloping a chamber, wherein the wall comprises an opening for passage of the analyte into and out of the chamber;

    (b) a plurality of superparamagnetic nanoparticles located within the chamber, each superparamagnetic nanoparticle having at least one moiety that is covalently or noncovalently linked to the nanoparticle; and

    optionally,(c) at least one binding agent located within the chamber;

    wherein the opening is smaller in size than the nanoparticles, and is larger in size than the analyte; and

    wherein the moiety and the analyte each bind reversibly to the binding agent, when present, or the analyte binds reversibly to the moiety, to cause a reversible aggregation or disaggregation of the nanoparticles within the chamber in an equilibrium controlled process, wherein the equilibrium is dependent upon, and changes with, analyte concentration;

    (ii) implanting the sensor into a subject subcutaneously; and

    (iii) following step (ii), measuring the spin-spin (T2) relaxation time of a fluid within the chamber, wherein the spin-spin (T2) relaxation time measurement indicates the analyte concentration.

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