(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2005-08)
Lee, Sang-Hun; Stubbs, Desmond D.; Cairney, John; Hunt, William D.
Weaponized spores of a pathogenic bacterium such
as Bacillus anthracis are a new critical threat to mankind. The
occurrences in New York and south Florida in 2001 showed the
potential capability of the spores to be used for mass destruction.
Due to their stealthiness during the infection and resistance to
harsh environment, an early and prompt detection of the spores
before they endanger the population is a significant issue. In this
paper, we present a method of instant identification of Bacillus
subtilis (nonpathogenic simulant for Bacillus anthracis) spores
by constructing a dual quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) immunosensing
system. A set of 10-MHz AT-cut QCMs operating
in thickness shear mode are employed in an enclosed flowcell.
Specificity is maintained through the use of an immuno-sensing
layer consisting of monoclonal antibodies raised against spores
of a single Bacillus species. The fidelity of sensing parameters
is ensured by the presence of a reference device coated with an
antibody that is not specific for the target antigen. Associating the
QCM response signature with the specific binding of a particular
species of Bacillus spore to an antibody has implications for future
identification of pathogenic substances.