Simultaneous detection of six biohazardous agents using a planar waveguide array biosensor

Recently, we demonstrated that an array biosensor could be used with cocktails of fluorescent antibodies to perform three assays simultaneously on a single substrate, and that multiple samples could be analyzed in parallel. We extend this technology to demonstrate the simultaneous analysis of six samples for six different hazardous analytes, including both bacteria and protein toxins. The level of antibody cross-reactivity is explored, revealing a possible common epitope in two of the toxins. A panel of environmental interferents was added to the samples; these interferents neither prevented the detection of the analytes nor caused false-positive responses.