Classification of the biological material with use of FTIR spectroscopy and statistical analysis

Rapid detection and discrimination of dangerous biological materials such as bacteria and their spores has become a security aim of considerable importance. Various analytical methods, including FTIR spectroscopy combined with statistical analysis have been used to identify vegetative bacteria, bacterial spores and background interferants. The present work discusses the application of FTIR technique performed in reflectance mode using Horizontal Attenuated Total Reflectance accessory (HATR) to the discrimination of biological materials. In comparison with transmission technique the HATR is more rapid and do not require the sample destruction, simultaneously giving similar absorbance bands. HATR-FTIR results combined with statistical analysis PCA and HCA demonstrate that this combination provides novel and accurate microbial identification technique.