SBIR Phase I: A Lateral Field Excited Immunosensor for Pathogenic Bacteria in Drinking Water

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will demonstrate the feasibility of a lateral field excited (LFE) acoustic wave immunosensor for the detection of the pathogenic bacteria, E. coli, in drinking water. Current methods of testing drinking water for E. coli have several major drawbacks, which include time- and labor-intensive sample collection and lengthy laboratory analyses that can take at least 24 hours. The research objectives will be to optimize the LFE electrode geometry resulting in a maximum sensing area and efficient excitation of the thickness shear mode in AT-cut quartz and to determine the LFE immunosensor sensitivity, selectivity, response time, and reproducibility for the detection of non-enteropathogenic E. coli and compare them to similar results obtained using the standard quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The Phase I work will result in an immunosensor that is not only directly applicable for the in situ determination of drinking water quality but may also be applicable for a wide range of applications in areas such as environmental safety, homeland security, agriculture, and medicine.