Dye self-organization in doped silica nanoparticles increases the electrochemiluminescence emission in magnetic beads-based assay

Abstract

We have investigated the effect of dye distribution on the electrochemiluminescence (ECL) intensity measured with a simplified magnetic beads-based immunoassay for two families of silica nanoparticles (NPs) doped with the cationic Ru(bpy)32+ and the zwitterionic Ru(bpy)2bps complexes (bps = bathophenanthroline disulfonate). The NPs doped with the Ru(bpy)2bps complex - which can efficiently self-organize in the NP volume favoring the ECL generation - resulted in 150-400% signal enhancement compared to the Ru(bpy)32+ doped ones.