Raman Scattering-Based Biosensing: New Prospects and Opportunities

Abstract

The growing interest in the development of new platforms for the application of Raman spectroscopy techniques in biosensor technologies is driven by the potential of these techniques in identifying chemical compounds, as well as structural and functional features of biomolecules. The effect of Raman scattering is a result of inelastic light scattering processes, which lead to the emission of scattered light with a different frequency associated with molecular vibrations of the identified molecule. Spontaneous Raman scattering is usually weak, resulting in complexities with the separation of weak inelastically scattered light and intense Rayleigh scattering. These limitations have led to the development of various techniques for enhancing Raman scattering, including resonance Raman spectroscopy (RRS) and nonlinear Raman spectroscopy (coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy and stimulated Raman spectroscopy). Furthermore, the discovery of the phenomenon of enhanced Raman scattering near metallic nanostructures gave impetus to the development of the surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) as well as its combination with resonance Raman spectroscopy and nonlinear Raman spectroscopic techniques. The combination of nonlinear and resonant optical effects with metal substrates or nanoparticles can be used to increase speed, spatial resolution, and signal amplification in Raman spectroscopy, making these techniques promising for the analysis and characterization of biological samples. This review provides the main provisions of the listed Raman techniques and the advantages and limitations present when applied to life sciences research. The recent advances in SERS and SERS-combined techniques are summarized, such as SERRS, SE-CARS, and SE-SRS for bioimaging and the biosensing of molecules, which form the basis for potential future applications of these techniques in biosensor technology. In addition, an overview is given of the main tools for success in the development of biosensors based on Raman spectroscopy techniques, which can be achieved by choosing one or a combination of the following approaches: (i) fabrication of a reproducible SERS substrate, (ii) synthesis of the SERS nanotag, and (iii) implementation of new platforms for on-site testing.

Towards Label-free detection of viral disease agents through their cell surface proteins: Rapid screening SARS-CoV-2 in biological specimens

“…The direct SERS detection of proteins requires their purification from the complex biological matrix [ 43 , 44 ]. Therefore, we synthesised a target-specific extractor substrate to bind the S1 protein from biological specimens.…”

Advances in the application of Raman spectroscopy in haematological tumours

“…However, inelastic light scattering under incident light may also occur; Raman scattering occurs when scattered light is emitted at a frequency greater or less than the incident light due to molecular vibration. The Raman spectrum comprises wavenumber bands, and each functional group of the sample molecule’s position in the range is determined by its particular vibration frequency ( Serebrennikova et al, 2021 ). This method detects the molecular vibration and rotation related to the chemical bond in the sample to learn more about the molecular structure, composition, and intermolecular interactions.…”

Recent Developments in the Field of Optical Immunosensors Focusing on a Label-Free, White Light Reflectance Spectroscopy-Based Immunosensing Platform

“…Multiplexed optical immunosensors that are capable of simultaneously detecting/quantifying more than one analyte of diagnostic interest in the same sample and can be used for Point-of-Care applications have been recently presented as well [ 2 , 50 ]. Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy lateral flow immunoassays (SERS-based LFIAs) performed on properly functionalized membranes, which may themselves be considered as a type of optical immunosensor, have been described in a review article presenting Raman Scattering-based biosensors [ 51 ]. Optical immunosensors employing appropriate dendrimers [ 52 ] or various nanomaterials [ 53 ] as a means of improving sensing efficiency/sensitivity have been presented in recent reviews.…”