In situ surface-etched bacterial spore detection using dipicolinic acid-europium-silica nanoparticle bioreporters.

A basic approach was optimized for the synthesis of highly selective and sensitive in situ mesoporous (MCM) type imprinted silica polymers for the detection of dipicolinic acid (DPA) using europium as a reporter. DPA is a ubiquitous biochemical marker available during the germination event of endospore-forming bacteria such as Bacillus . Additionally, an MCM-MIP (molecularly imprinted polymeric phenomena) detector and a companion MCM-non-surface-MIP detector were synthesized using europium reporters for the sensing of DPA under optimized laboratory conditions.

Fluorescence resonance energy transfer based MCM-EDTA-Tb3+-MES sensor.

An in situ mesopourous surface imprinted polymeric (SIP) sensor was synthesized for a highly sensitive, selective, and kinetically faster detection of the high-vapor-pressure nerve gas surrogate methyl salicylate (MES). Visual detection occurred on the filtrate thin films at 25 pM. Other nerve gas surrogates, TP, DMP, DMMP, PMP, and 1,4-thioxane, were tested and showed a decrease in sensitivity compared to MES.

Detection of Bacillus endospores using total luminescence spectroscopy.

Detection and analysis of bacteria from environmental samples (e.g. water, air, and food) are usually accomplished by standard culture techniques or by analyses that target specific DNA sequences, antigens or chemicals.