Laser-based In-situ Testing of Microbes with Ultraviolet Spectroscopy (LITMUS)

This proposal addresses the need for continuous microbial monitoring in water reuse treatment systems. The proposal will lead to a near-real-time, in-situ, reagentless sensor for potable and non-potable water systems. LITMUS (Laser-based Insitu Testing of Microbes with Ultraviolet Spectroscopy) uses deep UV laser excitation to directly detect microbes from the autofluorescence of protein-bound aromatic amino acids. LITMUS mitigates the challenges of current microbial detection methods being used by enabling an in-line/continuous flow, autonomous, no consumables method, with a detection range from >1x106 cells/ml, down to Under this Phase 1 effort, Photon Systems will demonstrate microbial detection, ifferentiability of microbes, and quantitation for use in a continuous flow microbial monitoring system with unprecedented temporal resolution for direct detection of microbes. The effort leverages TRL 9 components from our current NASA life-detection efforts as well as prior DOD, NSF, DTRA efforts and brings the deep UV spectroscopy technology to water quality assessment.