Nanalyte

Nanalyte is a term used to describe a nanoscale substance that can be analyzed or detected in analytical workflows. In practice, a nanalyte refers to any analyte whose detection or quantification relies on nanoscale phenomena, instruments, or materials. Typical size range is approximately 1 to 100 nanometers, though the concept can extend to larger macromolecular assemblies studied with nanotechnologies.

In analytical chemistry and biosensing, nanalytes include nanoparticles, small biomolecules such as proteins or nucleic acids, and molecular complexes engineered with nanoscale features to enhance signal, selectivity, or sensitivity. Nanotechnologies can provide high surface area, tunable optical or electronic properties, and the possibility of single-molecule sensitivity. The term is often used to emphasize the role of nanoscale properties in the detection process rather than the chemical identity alone.

Common detection approaches include plasmonic sensors based on localized surface plasmon resonance, nanopore sequencing and sensing, electrochemical nanosensors, and fluorescence-based single-molecule techniques. Characterization of nanalytes often employs transmission or scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, dynamic light scattering, zeta potential measurements, and spectroscopic methods.

Applications span medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, food safety, drug discovery, and research tools in biology and materials science. Challenges include variability in nanoscale synthesis, complex sample matrices, nonspecific binding, and the need for standardized nomenclature and regulatory guidance. Ongoing research aims to improve reproducibility, integration with microfluidics, and data interpretation using machine learning, enabling robust, point-of-care nanoscale analysis.