Surface enhanced raman spectroscopy for malaria diagnosis

• Main Author: Lee, Samuel Wei Liang
• Other Authors: Liu Quan
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Bioengineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/65059
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Malaria diagnosis is currently being done with light microscopy of a blood smear for infected red blood cells. However, it heavily relies on a small sample containing a small portion of the infected red blood cells. There are other methods which involved antigen testing or polymerase chain reaction however, malaria endemic regions areas usually are not able to afford for the laboratory diagnostic test. Currently, new techniques are being engineered to combat the on-going threat of malaria. One of the few techniques is via Raman Spectroscopy, specifically Surface-Enhance Raman Spectroscopy. Raman Spectroscopy is a technique used to observe the vibrational, rotational and other low-frequency modes within a system. The light will react with the vibrations resulting in energy being shifted. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a surface enhancing technique for the Raman spectroscopy on the scattering of molecules absorbed on rough surfaces. The mechanisms involved can be divided into two categories, Electromagnetic and Chemical. They are usually use in-conjunction with the one another. While current conventional methods are available, it is labor and time intensive. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) can be used in the diagnosis of malaria to tackle those two problems faced. Raman Spectroscopy can be used to detect hemozoin, a by-product of malaria infected erythrocytes. With further augmentation on the surface with sliver or magnetic nanoparticles, it has shown to improve the Raman Signal received.