Abstract: There is provided a method of detecting a change of a state of a liquid comprising the steps of: •providing a liquid detection medium (12) comprising a liquid and having a plurality of anisotropic magnetic particles suspended therein; •applying a modulated magnetic field across at least a portion of the liquid detection medium (12), wherein the magnetic field induces an alignment of the magnetic particles; •introducing electromagnetic radiation (22) into the liquid detection medium (12); •detecting a variable which is modulated by the applied magnetic field, wherein the variable is associated with the interaction of the electromagnetic radiation (22) with the magnetic particles and wherein the change in the state of the liquid causes a variation in the detected variable; and •correlating the variation in the detected variable with the change in the state of the liquid.

Abstract: There is provided a method of detecting a change of a state of a liquid comprising the steps of: • providing a liquid detection medium (12) comprising a liquid and having a plurality of anisotropic magnetic particles suspended therein; • applying a modulated magnetic field across at least a portion of the liquid detection medium (12), wherein the magnetic field induces an alignment of the magnetic particles; • introducing electromagnetic radiation (22) into the liquid detection medium (12); • detecting a variable which is modulated by the applied magnetic field, wherein the variable is associated with the interaction of the electromagnetic radiation (22) with the magnetic particles and wherein the change in the state of the liquid causes a variation in the detected variable; and • correlating the variation in the detected variable with the change in the state of the liquid.

Abstract: According to the invention there is provided a method of detecting an analyte including the steps of: i) providing a sample which contains the analyte and magnetic nanoparticles, in which the magnetic nanoparticles include a magnetic body portion which acts as a signalling vector and at least one receptor moiety attached to the body portion for binding to the analyte; ii) applying a magnetic field across at least a portion of the sample to orient the magnetic nanoparticles with respect to the applied magnetic field; iii) introducing electromagnetic radiation into the sample; iv) detecting a physical property which varies in dependence on the orientation of the magnetic nanoparticles with respect to the applied magnetic field, wherein the physical property is associated with the interaction of the electromagnetic radiation with the magnetic body portion which thereby acts as a signalling vector; and v) correlating the detected physical property with the presence of the analyte.

Abstract: According to the invention there is provided a method of detecting an analyte including the steps of: i) providing a sample which contains the analyte and magnetic nanoparticles, in which the magnetic nanoparticles include a magnetic body portion which acts as a signalling vector and at least one receptor moiety attached to the body portion for binding to the analyte; ii) applying a magnetic field across at least a portion of the sample to orient the magnetic nanoparticles with respect to the applied magnetic field; iii) introducing electromagnetic radiation into the sample; iv) detecting a physical property which varies in dependence on the orientation of the magnetic nanoparticles with respect to the applied magnetic field, wherein the physical property is associated with the interaction of the electromagnetic radiation with the magnetic body portion which thereby acts as a signalling vector; and v) correlating the detected physical property with the presence of the analyte.