New Particles for Time-Resolved Fluorescence Applications

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. today announced the availability of the new Thermo Scientific Fluoro-Max Europium Chelate Fluorescent Particles designed for time-resolved fluorescence applications including clinical diagnostics, immuno/histological studies and lateral flow.

The company will showcase the products at Thermo Fisher Scientific booth #2672 during Clinical Lab Expo at AACC 2011, being held July 26 – July 28, at the Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Georgia.

Available in carboxylate-modified and streptavidin-coated versions, the particles are internally dyed with europium chelate which, when excited with UV light at it maximal absorbance wavelength of 333 nm, emits long-lived fluorescence at 613 nm, creating an extremely broad Stokes Shift that prevents non-specific fluorescent interference.

"When these particles excite at 333 nm and emit at 613 nm, they do so for about 0.5 milliseconds which is a considerable length of time. In fact, this is anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 times the lifetime of most fluorosphores. As a result, these are ideal for time-resolved fluorescence applications, such as lateral flow, nucleic acid hybridization, molecular biology, point-of-care, membrane and other applications," said Rick Galloway, director, particle technology, Thermo Fisher Scientific. "They can also be counted on to significantly lower the detection limits of fluorescent assays as they significantly reduce any background interference from relatively short-lived matrix fluorescence."

Available in 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 µm diameter sizes, the particles are internally dyed to ensure maximum color brilliance and saturation, resulting in greater sensitivity and enhanced readability of the assay. This helps eliminate problems associated with enzyme-based assays, prevents leaching in aqueous media and provides optimum surface immunoreactivity.

For more information on the Thermo Scientific Fluoro-Max Europium Chelate Fluorescent Particles, please visit booth #2672 during AACC 2011 or go to the company article page.