SENSING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR RAPIDLY DETERMINING CONCENTRATIONS OF MICROBIAL ORGANISMS USING INTERFACIAL PHOTO-VOLTAGES

• US 20090221025A1
• Filed: 07/15/2008
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University Of North Florida Board Of Trustees
• Original Assignee: University Of North Florida Board Of Trustees
• Inventors: Bowers, Doria F., Huebner, Jay S., Mejia, Erica N.
• Granted Patent: US 7,892,495 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/39
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/305 optically transparent or photoresponsive electrodes

Abstract

A system for detecting a wide range of microbial organisms, including virus, and determining concentrations in near real-time to determine titer, without the requirement to grow micro-organisms includes an electrometer configured to measure photo-induced interfacial voltages and an electrode assembly with a substrate and at least one electrode on a surface of the substrate electrically coupled to the electrometer. An attachment factor is applied to an exposed surface of each electrode. The attachment factor is effective for interaction with the microbial organism. A transparent vessel for containing the electrolytic solution is provided. The microbial organism may be contained in the electrolytic solution or applied to the coated electrode before being submerged in the electrolytic solution. A light source is configured to controllably produce a flash of activating light directed through the transparent vessel at the electrode causing a sensible photo-induce interfacial voltage indicative of the microbial organism and titer. A corresponding method includes steps of preparing the electrode surfaces with an attachment factor and exposing the submerged electrode surfaces to a flash of activating light to induce interfacial voltages indicative of a determined microbial agent and titer.

Claims

1. A system for detecting the presence and concentration of a microbial organism in an electrolytic solution through measured photo-induced interfacial voltages, said system including

an electrometer configured to receive photo-induced interfacial voltages;

an electrode assembly comprising a substrate and at least one electrode on a surface of the substrate, said at least one electrode being electrically coupled to the electrometer;

an attachment factor applied to an exposed surface of the at least one electrode, said attachment factor being effective for interaction with the microbial organism;

a transparent vessel for containing the electrolytic solution with the microbial organism, said electrode assembly configured for placement of the at least one electrode in the transparent vessel; and

a light source configured to controllably produce a flash of activating light directed through the transparent vessel at the electrode, said flash of activating light being configured to cause a sensible photo-induce interfacial voltage at the at least one electrode when the at least one electrode with the applied attachment factor is exposed to said flash of activating light while submerged in the electrolytic solution containing the microbial organism.

2. A system for detecting the presence and concentration of a microbial organism in an electrolytic solution according to claim 1, wherein the light source is a source of ultraviolet light and the flash of activating light is a flash of ultraviolet activating light.

3. A system for detecting the presence and concentration of a microbial organism in an electrolytic solution according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electrode comprises platinum.

4. A system for detecting the presence and concentration of a microbial organism in an electrolytic solution according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electrode comprises a plurality of electrodes.

5. A system for detecting the presence and concentration of a microbial organism in an electrolytic solution according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electrode comprises a plurality of electrodes and the electrode assembly further comprises at least one ground.

6. A system for detecting the presence and concentration of a microbial organism in an electrolytic solution according to claim 1, wherein the electrometer configured to measure photo-induced interfacial voltages comprises an amplifier, and the system further includes a processor operably coupled to the electrometer.

7. A system for detecting the presence and concentration of a microbial organism in an electrolytic solution according to claim 1, wherein the electrometer configured to measure photo-induced interfacial voltages comprises an amplifier and a processor operably coupled to the electrode assembly, said processor being configured to compare a measured photo-induced interfacial voltage with a predetermined photo-induced interfacial voltage corresponding to a determined analyte and titer.

8. A system for detecting the presence and concentration of a microbial organism in an electrolytic solution according to claim 1, wherein the microbial organism is a virus.

9. A system for detecting the presence and concentration of a microbial organism in an electrolytic solution according to claim 1, wherein the electrode assembly is configured to produce and the electrometer is configured to measure photo-induced interfacial voltages in less than 500 μ

s after said at least one electrode with the applied attachment factor is exposed to said flash of activating light.

10. A system for detecting the presence and concentration of a microbial organism in an electrolytic solution according to claim 1, wherein the microbial organism is a virus and the electrode assembly is configured to produce and the electrometer is configured to measure photo-induced interfacial voltages between +10 mV and −

10 mV in less than 500 μ

s after said at least one electrode with the applied attachment factor is exposed to said flash of activating light.

11. A system for detecting the presence and concentration of a microbial organism on an electrode submerged in an electrolytic solution through measured photo-induced interfacial voltages, said system including

an electrometer configured to measure photo-induced interfacial voltages;

an electrode assembly comprising a substrate and at least one electrode on a surface of the substrate, said at least one electrode being electrically coupled to the electrometer;

a tissue culture adhesive thin film applied to an exposed surface of the at least one electrode;

an attachment factor applied to the tissue culture adhesive thin film, said attachment factor being effective for interaction with the microbial organism;

a microbial organism physically applied to the attachment factor;

a transparent vessel for containing the electrolytic solution, said electrode assembly configured for placement of the at least one electrode in the transparent vessel; and

a light source configured to controllably produce a flash of activating light directed through the transparent vessel at the electrode, said flash of activating light being configured to cause a sensible photo-induce interfacial voltage at the at least one electrode when the at least one electrode with the applied attachment factor is exposed to said flash of activating light while submerged in the electrolytic solution.

12. A system for detecting the presence and concentration of a microbial organism on an electrode submerged in an electrolytic solution according to claim 11, wherein the light source is a source of ultraviolet light and the flash of activating light is a flash of ultraviolet activating light.

13. A system for detecting the presence and concentration of a microbial organism on an electrode submerged in an electrolytic solution according to claim 11, wherein the at least one electrode comprises platinum.

14. A system for detecting the presence and concentration of a microbial organism on an electrode submerged in an electrolytic solution according to claim 11, wherein the at least one electrode comprises a plurality of electrodes and the electrode assembly further comprises at least one ground.

15. A system for detecting the presence and concentration of a microbial organism on an electrode submerged in an electrolytic solution according to claim 11, wherein the electrometer configured to measure photo-induced interfacial voltages comprises an amplifier and a processor operably coupled to the electrode assembly, said processor being configured to compare a measured photo-induced interfacial voltage with a predetermined photo-induced interfacial voltage corresponding to a determined analyte and titer.

16. A system for detecting the presence and concentration of a microbial organism on an electrode submerged in an electrolytic solution according to claim 11, wherein the microbial organism is a virus.

17. A system for detecting the presence and concentration of a microbial organism on an electrode submerged in an electrolytic solution according to claim 11, wherein the electrode assembly is configured to produce and the electrometer is configured to measure photo-induced interfacial voltages between +10 mV and −

10 mV in less than 500 μ

s after said at least one electrode with the applied attachment factor, tissue culture adhesive and microbial organism is exposed to said flash of activating light.

18. A method for detecting the presence and concentration of a microbial organism through a measured photo-induced interfacial voltage, said method including steps of

coating an exposed surface of an electrode with an attachment factor;

exposing the coated electrode surface to the microbial organism;

submerging the coated electrode surface in an electrolytic medium;

flashing a UV activating light through the electrolytic medium at the submerged coated electrode surface;

measuring an interfacial voltage induced by the flash of the UV activating light at the electrode submerged in the electrolytic medium; and

associating the measured interfacial voltage with a determined photo-induced interfacial voltage for a determined analyte and a determined titer.

19. A method for detecting the presence and concentration of a microbial organism through a measured photo-induced interfacial voltage according to claim 18, wherein said microbial organism is contained in said electrolytic medium and the coated electrode surface is exposed to the microbial organism upon submerging the coated electrode surface in an electrolytic medium.

20. A method for detecting the presence and concentration of a microbial organism through a measured photo-induced interfacial voltage according to claim 18, wherein said microbial organism is applied to the coated electrode surface before submerging the coated electrode surface in an electrolytic medium.