Fiber-optic sensors for high throughput screening of pathogens

Abstract

A large group of fiber-optic biosensors are also known as evanescent wave fluoroimmunosensors. When incoming light interacts with fluorophore-bound molecules on the surface of the waveguide, it generates an evanescent wave that undergoes total internal reflection and is detected in real time. This sensor has been used for detection of toxins, microorganisms (bacteria and virus), spores, proteins, and other small molecules from air, water, environment (soil), food, and clinical specimens. The most significant advantage of this sensor is its speed in assessing the presence of contaminants in a sample. The planar array waveguide format detects multiple pathogens or toxins at a time and thus is amenable to high throughput screening.