Recent Advances in Magnetic Nanoparticles-Assisted Microfluidic Bioanalysis

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are attracting increasing attention in bioanalysis, due to their large surface area and excellent steerable properties. Meanwhile, the booming development of microfluidics is offering a faster, lower consumption, and more effective approach to bioanalysis. MNPs-assisted microfluidic bioanalysis enables enhanced analytical performance by introducing functionalized magnetic nanomaterial into microchip devices. This work reviews the advances of MNPs-assisted microfluidic bioanalysis in the recent decade. The preparation and modification methods of MNPs are summarized as having a bioanalysis capability in microchips. These MNPs can be used for sample pretreatment materials and/or biosensing tags. In sample pretreatment, MNPs enable effective magnetic separation, preconcentration, and mass transport. In detection, MNPs act as not only magnetic sensing tags but also as the support for optical sensors. Finally, the overviews and challenges in microfluidic bioanalysis with the assistance of MNPs are discussed.