Sensors Magazine 2014-01-01

Love-wave sensors combined with microfluidics for fast detection of biological warfare agents.

Daniel Matatagui, José Luis Fontecha, María Jesús Fernández, Isabel Gràcia, Carles Cané, José Pedro Santos, María Carmen Horrillo

Index: Sensors (Basel.) 14(7) , 12658-69, (2014)

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Abstract

The following paper examines a time-efficient method for detecting biological warfare agents (BWAs). The method is based on a system of a Love-wave immunosensor combined with a microfluidic chip which detects BWA samples in a dynamic mode. In this way a continuous flow-through of the sample is created, promoting the reaction between antigen and antibody and allowing a fast detection of the BWAs. In order to prove this method, static and dynamic modes have been simulated and different concentrations of BWA simulants have been tested with two immunoreactions: phage M13 has been detected using the mouse monoclonal antibody anti-M13 (AM13), and the rabbit immunoglobulin (Rabbit IgG) has been detected using the polyclonal antibody goat anti-rabbit (GAR). Finally, different concentrations of each BWA simulants have been detected with a fast response time and a desirable level of discrimination among them has been achieved.