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Method and device for detecting analytes

  • US 9,921,163 B2
  • Filed: 02/13/2014
  • Issued: 03/20/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2013
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of determining the concentration of a predefined analyte in a fluid or fluid sample, the method comprising:

  • a) providing a SERS substrate comprising a plurality of metal nanostructures and predefined receptor molecules capable of binding predefined competitor molecules, the receptor molecules being bound to the metal nanostructures, each of the competitor molecules being a molecule capable of reversibly binding to either of an analyte molecule and a receptor molecule, but being incapable of simultaneously binding both an analyte molecule and a receptor molecule;

    b) contacting the SERS substrate with the fluid or fluid sample comprising said analyte in a concentration to be determined and comprising a predetermined amount of said competitor molecules, such that the amount of competitor molecule bound to the receptor molecules at the metal nanostructures is an inverse function of the amount of analyte in the fluid or fluid sample, and such that when a competitor molecule is not bound to a receptor molecule, it is free to diffuse away from the metal nanostructures;

    c) radiating the SERS substrate with a monochromatic light source thereby generating a SERS signal having a level indicative of the amount of competitor molecules bound to the receptor molecules of the SERS substrate;

    d) determining the level of the SERS signal while radiating the SERS substrate with the monochromatic light source;

    e) determining a concentration of the analyte in the fluid or fluid sample based on the level of the measured SERS signal.

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