title: Luminescent chemical sensing, biosensing, and screening using upconverting nanoparticles.
abstract: Upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs) display the unique property of converting near-infrared light (with wavelengths of typically 800-1,000 nm) into visible luminescence. Following a short introduction into the mechanisms leading to the effect, the main classes of materials used are discussed. We then review the state of the art of using UCNPs: (1) to label biomolecules such as antibodies and (synthetic) oligomers for use in affinity assay and flow assays; (2) to act as nanolamps whose emission intensity is modulated by chemical indicators, thus leading to a novel kind of chemical sensors; and (3), to act as donors in luminescence resonance energy transfer in chemical sensors and biosensors.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Analytical Chemistry, Chemo- and Biosensors, University of Regensburg, 93040, Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Daniela E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Achatz
authors.forename: Reham
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Otto S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Wolfbeis
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia / Q000032:analysis; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008163:Luminescent Measurements / Q000379:methods*; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000032:analysis; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D009841:Oligonucleotides; D011506:Proteins; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D000641:Ammonia; D010100:Oxygen