The Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) as an Immunosensor

This chapter demonstrates a preliminary experimental approach to detect antiviral antibodies by means of a quartz crystal immunosensor. As an example of the large numbers of immunoassays currently applied in the clinical laboratory, the screening for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) specific antibodies was presented as a model application. The quartz crystal microbalance belongs to the group of acoustic immunosensors and its principle of operation is based on the propagation of acoustic shear waves in the substrate of the sensor. Phase and velocity of the acoustic wave are influenced by the specific adsorption of antibody molecules onto the antigen-coated sensor surface. This primary measuring allows the continuous monitoring of molecular interactions in liquids.