Array lead zirconate titanate/glass piezoelectric microcantilevers for real-time detection of Bacillus anthracis with 10 spores/ml sensitivity and 1/1000 selectivity in bacterial mixtures

Rev Sci Instrum. 2009 Dec;80(12):125104. doi: 10.1063/1.3264082.

Abstract

An array of three identical piezoelectric microcantilever sensors (PEMSs) consisting of a lead zirconate titanate layer bonded to a glass layer was fabricated and examined for simultaneous, in situ, real-time, all-electrical detection of Bacillus anthracis (BA) spores in an aqueous suspension using the first longitudinal extension mode of resonance. With anti-BA antibody immobilized on the sensor surfaces all three PEMS exhibited identical BA detection resonance frequency shifts at all tested concentrations, 10-10(7) spores/ml with a standard deviation of less than 10%. The detection concentration limit of 10 spores/ml was about two orders of magnitude lower than would be permitted by flexural peaks. In blinded-sample testing, the array PEMS detected BA in three samples containing BA: (1) 3.3x10(3) spores/ml, (2) a mixture of 3.3x10(3) spores/ml and 3.3x10(5) S. aureus (SA) and P. aeruginosa (PA) per ml, and (3) a mixture of 3.3x10(3) spores/ml with 3.3x10(6) SA+PA/ml. There was no response to a sample containing only 3.3x10(6) SA+PA/ml. These results illustrate the sensitivity, specificity, reusability, and reliability of array PEMS for in situ, real-time detection of BA spores.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Air
  • Bacillus anthracis*
  • Bacteria
  • Biosensing Techniques / instrumentation*
  • Electronics / instrumentation
  • Equipment Design
  • False Negative Reactions
  • False Positive Reactions
  • Glass
  • Lead
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Spores, Bacterial*
  • Staphylococcus aureus
  • Time Factors
  • Titanium
  • Water
  • Zirconium

Substances

  • Water
  • lead titanate zirconate
  • Lead
  • Zirconium
  • Titanium