Pathogenic Mycobacteria cause diseases in animals and humans with significant economic and societal consequences. Current methods for Mycobacterial detection relies upon time- and labor-intensive techniques such as culturing or DNA analysis. Using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, four volatile compounds (methyl phenylacetate, methyl p-anisate, methyl nicotinate and o-phenyl anisole) were recently proposed as potential biomarkers for Mycobacteria. We demonstrate for the first time the capabilities of a field-deployable, pulsed discharge helium ionization detector (PDHID) for sensing these volatiles. We determined the analytical performance of the PDHID toward these Mycobacterial volatiles. Detector performance was moderately affected over the temperature range of 150 to 350 °C. The linear dynamic range for all four analytes exceeded three orders of magnitude. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantitation (LOQ) were calculated as 150 and 450 pg respectively, for all compounds, except methyl phenylacetate (LOD and LOQ, 90 and 270 pg, respectively). Control charts revealed that the PDHID detection system was generally stable, and deviations could be traced to common causes and excluded special causes. Grob tests and ionization potential data suggest that the PDHID is capable of detecting Mycobacterial volatiles in a complex milieu such as culture headspace or breath samples from tuberculosis patients. The diagnostic potential of the PDHID is critical to our goal of a handheld, field-deployable 'sniffer' system for biological pathogens and chemical warfare agents.

A 3D finite element model was developed to optimize the kinetics and mass transfer characteristics of low concentration, 18 bp ssDNA targets in bulk media solution, to 18 bp complimentary oligonucleotide probes immobilized on electrochemical detection electrodes positioned along the length of a microfluidic channel. Conditions considered in the model were fluid flow rate, diffusion time, DNA melting temperature, number of matching base pairs, and temperature of the fluid in the channel. System optimization was based on maximizing the uniformity and surface concentration of the specifically bound hybridized DNA, minimizing waste volume generation and the hybridization time. With the coupled simulation method used, the total experiment time was reduced from 150 to 60 min and the simulated results were consistent with experimental results found in the literature. A stopped flow procedure was investigated as a means to improve hybridization. This procedure can not only improve uniformity and capture efficiency, and reduce waste, but can also decrease overall signal intensity relative to continuous flow operation. Finally, the use of temperature in reducing mismatched hybridization and improving duplex stability was also successfully modeled and simulated.