DNA-functionalized photonic crystal microspheres for multiplex detection of toxic metal ions.

A novel type of suspension array for multiplex detection of heavy metal ions with photonic crystal hydrogel microspheres was reported. The photonic crystal hydrogel microspheres have close-packed photonic crystal particles as their encoding units and ssDNA-functionalized hydrogel as the sensing units. The developed microspheres were successfully applied in multiplex detection of heavy metal ions.