Tailored quantum dots for enhancing sensing performance of lateral flow immunoassay

Lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA), a prominent rapid detection technology, has been widespreadly exploited in the areas of food safety, environmental monitoring, and clinical diagnosis. Nevertheless, a notable restriction of the conventional gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)-based LFIA lies in relatively low sensitivity considering insufficient brightness. Generally, fluorescent LFIA (FLFIA) in which quantum dots (QDs) are deemed as one of the most commonly used signal labels shows higher sensitivity than the conventional AuNPs-based one because of their excellent luminescent properties. In this review, we systematically and comprehensively summarize the emerging strategies of tailing QDs to promote sensing performance of LFIA, including (i) quantum yield enhancement, (ii) QD loading, (iii) antibody labelling method improvement, (iv) background interference reduction, (v) fluorescence quenching, and (vi) nanoparticle flow rate regulation. Further, we put forward the developing status and future outlook on the QDs-based LFIA, which will drive the potential of biosensing applications. •This review systematically summarizes recent strategies to develop QDs-based LFIA.•QD loading is introduced from designs to synthesis, high-sensitivity applications.•Three types of FMNBs are reasonably designed to reduce background interference.•IFE and FRET are introduced to amplify the signal-to-noise ratio in LFIA.•An adequate nanoparticle flow rate is explained for contributions to the sensitivity.