Surface-enhanced Raman assays (SERA): Measurement of bilirubin and salicylate

Results of a study to detect bilirubin and salicylate using SERS and a reac tive coating are presented. The motivation for this work was to develop am assay that would simplify an analysis by detecting the analyte in a whole b lood sample. This would remove the risks and time associated with preparing a serum sample. Quantitative analysis was performed using partial Yeast-sq uares. The results are that one can detect bilirubin and salicylate in whol e blood at levels below the normal or therapeutic levels using a coating ba sed on an argentiphilic diazonium molecule. The sharp Raman bands associate d with the analyte-coating adduct are sufficiently resolved to allow the an alyte to be detected in the presence of a complex matrix such as whole bloo d. Copyright (C) 1999 John Whey & Sons, Ltd.