Magnetic marker based homogeneous bioassays utilizing rotating magnetic fields

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) as markers in bioassays utilizing rotating instead of alternating magnetic fields predict an improved sensitivity regarding quantitative protein detection. This finding is based on numerical solutions of the Fokker-Planck equation and pronounced for increasing field amplitudes. In order to verify this prediction, the phase lag change of MNPs in rotating magnetic fields up to 5 mT is measured. The magnetic markers are functionalized single core iron oxide nanoparticles with different sizes. Antibodies which specifically bind to the MNPs cause the phase lag change. The increase of the phase lag change strongly depends on the particle parameters. MNPs with a core diameter of 30 nm show for 5 mT, a significant difference between the two field types. This difference is less pronounced for the 25 nm MNPs due to the increasing influence of Néel relaxation processes and for the 40 nm particles, due to the reduced saturation magnetization. A further improvement for the 30 nm MNPs with field amplitudes over 5 mT is simulated based on the determined particle parameters.