title: In situ surface-etched bacterial spore detection using dipicolinic acid-europium-silica nanoparticle bioreporters.
abstract: 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. Our results showed that the in situ molecular imprinting process enabled rapid, selective detection of DPA with high sensitivity compared to MCM-MIP (imprinted for DPA; no DPA present), MCM-Non-MIP (no imprint present), and MCM-SR-MIP (imprinted with DPA present) detectors. The lower detection limit observed for DPA concentration is 5.49 × 10(-10) mol dm(-3) for MCM-MIP. The performance of the sensor in high-salt-water conditions, under photo-bleaching, and its reusability were also evaluated. The synthesized in situ MCM-MIP material should permit the detection of DPA for field assays related to suspect bacterial sporulation events.
authors.affiliation: US Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Alexandria, Virginia 22315, USA. Clint.B.Smith@usace.army.mil
authors.forename: Clint B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Jarrod D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Kinson C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Kam
mesh_terms: D001410:Bacillus megaterium / Q000502:physiology; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D017743:Equipment Reuse; D005063:Europium / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D015636:Magnesium Chloride / Q000737:chemistry; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D054802:Molecular Imprinting; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D038761:Photobleaching; D010848:Picolinic Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000737:chemistry; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D010848:Picolinic Acids; D011108:Polymers; D015636:Magnesium Chloride; D005063:Europium; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; C004860:dipicolinic acid