ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on labeled protocols that employ micron- or nanometer-sized super-paramagnetic particles as labels. It considers assay protocols, packaging, and sample interface technologies proposed for use with magnetic immunoassays. The chapter also focuses on the detection of magnetic labels, with an emphasis on electronic detection through Hall effect devices. Technologies for the high-sensitivity, specific detection of proteins are used routinely in a variety of laboratory tests, ranging from diagnostic tests for infectious disease detection to food integrity evaluation. In the current testing paradigm, samples are collected at the point of need and sent to a central laboratory for preprocessing and evaluation. Laboratories aggregate samples from a relatively large geographical area, and hence are able to amortize the cost of the instrumentation and personnel required to run each test by processing many samples in parallel.
