Preparation and Analysis of Quantum Dots: Applications of Capillary Electrophoresis.
The implementation of quantum dots in analytical chemistry has already advanced from basic research activities to routine applications of commercially available fluorescent agents present in sophisticated assays kits. Nevertheless, a further development of new preparation and characterization methods of nanoparticles is still required to increase the sensitivity of analytical methods substantially. Thus, in many bioanalytical applications, important molecules such as DNA, proteins, and antibodies are routinely conjugated with fluorescent tags to reach even the absolute sensitivity, that is, the capability to detect a single molecule in complex matrices. Semiconductor quantum dots have already proved to be suitable components of highly luminescent tags, probes, and sensors with broad applicability in analytical chemistry. Quantum dots provide high extinction coefficients together with wide ranges of excitation wavelengths, size- and composition-tunable emissions, narrow and symmetric emission spectra, good quantum yields, relatively long size-dependent luminescence lifetime, and low photobleaching. Most of these properties are superior when compared with conventional organic fluorescent dyes. In this chapter, optimized procedures for the preparation of water-dispersed CdTe quantum dots; their coatings and conjugation reactions with antibodies, DNA, and macrocycles; and their analyses by capillary electrophoresis are described. The potential of capillary electrophoresis for fast analyses of nanoparticles, their conjugates with antibodies and immunocomplexes with targeted antigens, is demonstrated as an example.
['Klepárník|Karel|K|', 'Modlitbová|Pavlína|P|']
D000906:Antibodies D019187:Cadmium Compounds D019075:Electrophoresis, Capillary D031541:Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer D005456:Fluorescent Dyes D008163:Luminescent Measurements D053758:Nanoparticles D036103:Nanotechnology D011506:Proteins D045663:Quantum Dots D013691:Tellurium
Quantum dots Capillary electrophoresis Bioconjugation Förster resonance energy transfer Immunoassay Laser-induced fluorescence Nanoparticle coating