Surface-functionalized PAN fiber membranes for the sensitive detection of airborne specific markers.

PAN fibers are characterized by having a large surface-to-volume ratio and small pores, which are beneficial for applications in filtration and specific molecular detection systems. Naturally, larger items are filtered, and a lower ratio between specific and nonspecific binding is expected since small pores do not allow larger elements to penetrate through membranes; thus, nonspecific binding is enhanced. We prepared and tested fiber membranes (diameter cca 700 nm) functionalized with a specific antibody to prove that even microscopic systems such as bacteria could be specifically identified.

The Development of a Specific Nanofiber Bioreceptor for Detection of and from Air.

Polluted air and the presence of numerous airborne pathogens affect our daily lives. The sensitive and fast detection of pollutants and pathogens is crucial for environmental monitoring and effective medical diagnostics. Compared to conventional detection methods (PCR, ELISA, metabolic tests, etc.