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Near-Infrared, Surface-Enhanced Fluorescence Using Silver Nanoparticle Aggregates in Solution

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Abstract

Fluorescence spectroscopy is used in many life science and clinical research diagnostic assays. Improvements in the sensitivity and limit-of-detection of these assays may have profound implications. Here, we demonstrate a near-infrared, surface-enhanced fluorescence technology that increases the signal of IRDye 800CW-labeled streptavidin by up to 2,530-fold while improving the limit-of-detection 1,000-fold. Citrate-stabilized, silver nanoparticles that aggregate in solution were used with the dye-protein conjugate to form plasmon-active nanostructures. The technique is straightforward to implement and fully compatible with commercially available immunoassay instrumentation and consumables.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a NSF EPSCoR University-Industry R&D Partnership Award. We would also like to thank John Williams for his review and suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. LI-COR Biosciences, Inc, Lincoln, NE, 68504, USA

    Michael D. Furtaw, Jon P. Anderson & Lyle R. Middendorf

  2. Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 68583, USA

    Michael D. Furtaw & Gregory R. Bashford

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  1. Michael D. Furtaw
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  2. Jon P. Anderson
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  4. Gregory R. Bashford
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Correspondence to Michael D. Furtaw.

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Furtaw, M.D., Anderson, J.P., Middendorf, L.R. et al. Near-Infrared, Surface-Enhanced Fluorescence Using Silver Nanoparticle Aggregates in Solution. Plasmonics 9, 27–34 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11468-013-9594-y

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