| abstract |
Porous nanostructured materials, such as porous nanostructured liquid and liquid crystalline particles or materials, incorporate a target substantially within the material which selectively binds a chemical of interest which can diffusion within the porous nanostructured material and be bound by the target. The porous nanostructured materials can be dispersed as particles in a medium in which said chemical of interest is located with low turbidity. Markers which detect binding of said chemical of interest can be maintained in the medium separate and apart from the target, and any active compound (e.g., an enzyme) associated therewith by the porous nanostructured material, such that detectable changes in the marker only result when the active compounds diffuse out of the porous nanostructured materials after the chemical of interest binds to the target. |