Multi-analyte interrogation using the fiber optic biosensor

The capabilities of the portable, automated fiber optic biosensor, RAPTOR, have recently been evaluated. Developed to perform rapid fluoroimmunoassays in the field, the RAPTOR was designed to test samples for up to four different target analytes simultaneously. Assay time could be varied from a 3-min rapid screen to a standard 10-min test. A trial of 203 blind samples tested for Staphylococcal enterotoxin B, ricin, Francisella tularensis, and Bacillus globigii has been conducted. Sensitivities obtained were 10, 50 ng/ml, 5 x 10(5), and 5 x 10(4) cfu/ml, respectively. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.