Advances in Optical Fiber Sensors for Multi-Analyte Biochemical Detection: High Sensitivity, Low Detection Limits, and Real-Time Capabilities for Multi-Gas Monitoring

MDPI Switzerland

Overview

This paper highlights advancements in optical fiber sensors for multi-analyte biochemical detection. Optical fiber multi-analyte biochemical sensors enable simultaneous detection of multiple biomarkers and proteins by leveraging their binding effects on light transmission, reflection, resonance, or interference intensity. With advantages such as high sensitivity, low detection limits, high selectivity, and real-time detection, these sensors hold significant potential, especially in multi-gas detection, and are expected to find widespread applications in medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and food safety.

In Depth

Key Findings

Optical fiber sensor technology for multi-analyte biochemical detection is experiencing remarkable advancements, significantly enhancing its capability to simultaneously detect multiple biomarkers and proteins. Optical fiber multi-analyte biochemical sensors operate on the principle that the binding of target biomarkers and proteins affects light transmission, reflection, resonance, or interference light intensity. These sensors combine powerful advantages including extremely high sensitivity, very low detection limits, high selectivity, and real-time detection. They hold particular promise in multi-gas detection, where they can simultaneously identify multiple gases, and are expected to have innovative applications across a wide range of fields, including medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and food safety.

Technical/Clinical Details

Optical fiber sensors are based on optical fibers, with their surface or core modified with a sensitive layer (recognition element) that interacts with specific analytes. Detection principles often include Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBG), Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR), diffraction gratings, and interferometers. To enable multi-analyte detection, multiple sensor sites with different recognition elements can be deployed along a single fiber, or a single sensor site can be designed to identify multiple target molecules. When biomolecules (biomarkers or proteins) bind to the sensitive layer, the light propagation characteristics (e.g., wavelength, intensity, phase) change. These changes are measured by a detector to determine the presence and concentration of the analytes. Optical fibers are robust against electromagnetic interference, compact, and highly flexible, making them suitable for remote applications or in confined biological spaces. In multi-gas detection, for example, polymer films or nanostructures selectively responsive to different gases can be functionalized onto the fiber surface to simultaneously monitor concentrations of gases like CO2, O2, and CH4.

Background and Industry Context

In modern medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and food safety sectors, the ability to simultaneously and rapidly detect multiple analytes from complex biological fluids or environmental samples is increasingly crucial. However, conventional single-analyte detection systems often require performing multiple tests individually, leading to increased time, cost, and sample consumption. Optical fiber multi-analyte sensors address these challenges, emerging as a solution that provides real-time, comprehensive information. Optical fiber technology, with its low cost, miniaturization, high sensitivity, and remote sensing capabilities, holds the potential to contribute to faster diagnostics, early warning for environmental risks, and rapid identification of food contamination.

Strategic Significance & Outlook

Optical fiber multi-analyte sensors, with their multifunctionality and high performance, will play a critical role in future scientific and technological fields. In medicine, they are expected to contribute to early diagnosis of diseases like cancer and cardiovascular conditions, personalized assessment of treatment efficacy, and improved accuracy of post-operative monitoring by simultaneously monitoring multiple disease biomarkers in blood and bodily fluids. In environmental applications, they will enable continuous and widespread monitoring of air, water, and soil pollutants, significantly contributing to environmental protection and public health improvement. Furthermore, real-time detection of multiple contaminants and quality indicators in the food supply chain will lead to strengthened food safety standards. Further miniaturization and wireless integration of this technology could expand its applications into wearable and implantable sensors, creating new market opportunities.

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