Parallel acoustic detection of biological warfare agents surrogates by means of piezoelectric immunochips

This paper focuses on flow functionalization of piezoelectric immunochips with antibodies against four different biological warfare agents (BWA) surrogates. To perform parallel detection of all BWA surrogates at once, the E4 Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation monitoring system (QCM-D) is used. Assessment of antibodies immobilization, parallel detection of related BWA surrogates diluted in buffer solutions and regeneration of the complex antibodies/BWA surrogates are first discussed. Minimal detection thresholds for Escherichia coli MRE 162, Bacillus atrophaeus, Cydia pomonella granulosis virus (CpGV) and ovalbumin are respectively equal to 2.4 x 10(7) CFU/mL. 1.4 x 10(6) spores/mL, 1.1 x 10(8) granules/mL and 1 mu g/mL. Detection experiments for three of the four BWA surrogates (E. coli MRE 162, B. atrophaeus and ovalbumin) immersed in real liquid matrices from air sampler are successfully performed. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.