Project III.1.3: Low-cost biosensors

Project Title: III.1.3 Low-cost biosensors
Project Leads: Holly Simon and Mariya Smit

Project Description
Testing of the electronic semiconductor impedance-based sensor array created by the SHARP Laboratories of America (SLA) was undertaken. Each array is composed of eight gold interdigitated microelectrodes enclosed in a plastic, double microfluidic chamber. Detection is done by impedance spectroscopy, for fast and label-free measurements in real time. The technology for inexpensive, mass industrial production of this sensor format has recently been developed by SLA.

Fit in program
A real-time or near real-time microbial sensing platform is necessary to build a comprehensive network allowing rapid detection of microbial sentinel species in environmental water samples. The information provided by the microbial biosensor is critical for CMOP’s goals of understanding climatic and anthropogenic impacts on coastal margins, and to be able to predict ecosystem response to environmental change.

Outcomes
Peer-reviewed paper. Probes, ready for field test.