Molecularly imprinted nanoparticles based plasmonic sensors for real-time Enterococcus faecalis detection.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Biotechnology
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Human fecal contamination is a significant threat to water quality and public health.
• Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) is a key indicator bacterium for fecal pollution.
• Current detection methods for E. faecalis are limited by low affinity and labeling requirements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a label-free molecular fingerprinting strategy for detecting E. faecalis.
• To create a sensitive, specific, and versatile sensor platform for water quality monitoring.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a plasmonic sensor with a label-free molecular fingerprinting approach.
• Evaluated kinetic performance, detection range, limit of detection, and selectivity against other bacteria.
• Demonstrated reusability and shelf-life of the sensor platform.

Main Results:

• Achieved a broad detection range (four orders of magnitude) with a low limit of detection (~100 bacteria/mL).
• Demonstrated high selectivity and specificity for E. faecalis over E. coli, B. subtilis, and S. aureus.
• The platform showed high correlation coefficient (>0.99) and reusability.

Conclusions:

• The developed plasmonic sensor provides a reliable and versatile method for detecting E. faecalis in aqueous and seawater samples.
• This label-free strategy overcomes limitations of existing technologies, offering potential for microbiome characterization and forensics.
• The technique's adaptability allows for the detection of various biotargets, revitalizing obsolescent detection strategies.