Dendrimers: New tool for enhancement of electrochemiluminescent signal

Electrochemiluminescence or Electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) is a powerful analytical technique combining excellent features of an electrochemical and luminescent method. The process involves generation of an electro-active species due to the electron transfer reactions (redox-reactions) at an electrode surfaces to form excited states, which on relaxation emits light. ECL as a technique has received great attention in biosensing due to its high sensitivity and ability to detect wide range of analytes. This review presents the analytical importance of electrochemiluminescence (ECL)-based detection methods. The mechanism of ECL detection is briefly presented. Why there is a need to enhance the ECL signal in biosensing is discussed and the nanomaterials which are presently reported to enhance the ECL signal are reviewed. Among various nanomaterials, dendrimers as tools for enhancing the ECL signal is explored and reviewed in detail. Finally, challenges and perspectives of the use of dendrimers in ECL are discussed. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier B.V.