ENVR 155 |
| Water-borne illnesses continue to plague both developing and developed countries worldwide. Analytical and biotechnological advances have answered many public health issues in recent years, but water utilities continue to lack rapid and sensitive methods for pathogen monitoring in drinking waters. We will report on the development of a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-based strategy for pathogen detection in drinking waters. In the method, an antibody-coated membrane filter (i.e., immunofilter) captures and concentrates Giardia lamblia cysts and Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts in water samples. Immunogold SERS labels are then utilized to detect the pathogens concentrated on the filter. After binding to the respective captured organisms, the dye labels are detected via Raman spectroscopy. In this abstract we will report on the sensitivity and specificity of the method, compare it with established methodologies and address the feasibility of extending the method to detect additional water-borne pathogens. |
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Sensors for Detection and Quantification of Contaminants in Drinking Water and the Environment
8:30 AM-12:10 PM, Wednesday, April 9, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Rm. 235, Oral
Division of Environmental Chemistry |