Fiber-Optic Based Cell Sensors

Abstract

Different whole cell fiber optic based biosensors have been developed to detect the total effect of a wide range of environmental pollutants, providing results within a very short period. These biosensors are usually built from three major components, the biorecognition element (whole-cells) intimately attached to a transducer (optic fiber) using a variety of techniques (adsorption, covalent binding, polymer trapping, etc). Even with a great progress in the field of biosensors, there is still a serious lack of commercial applications, capable of competing with traditional analytical tools.

Measuring Artificial Sweeteners Toxicity Using a Bioluminescent Bacterial Panel

“…The relative toxicity of the six FDA approved pure artificial sweeteners (aspartame, sucralose, saccharine, neotame, advantame and ace-k) and 10 sport supplements containing artificial sweeteners were tested using three different E. coli strains (TV1061, DPD2544 and DPD2794) of genetically modified bioluminescent bacteria sensitive to the various stresses (e.g., cytotoxicity, amino acids availability, genotoxicity, accordingly). Luminescence was easily measured using a sensitive photodetector unaffected by variable background signals [ 43 ]. The bioreporter bacteria developed in this study used luciferase as the reporter gene, which provided a sensitive and simple detection method for gene expression and regulation [ 44 ].…”

On-line biosensor for the detection of putative toxicity in water contaminants

“…4 shows that the new flow cell design allowed an increase in sensor sensitivity (100-fold higher in the case of ethanol) when compared to the previous setup. Ethanol is a model cytotoxic compound that was used as a positive control in many previous publications using TV1061 as the bioreporter bacteria [41][42][43]. Our probes were also exposed to different concentrations of p-chlorophenol, oftentimes found in wastewaters and sewage [44] and the sensitivity of the previously published setup was roughly comparable to that of the earlier static system [45,46].…”

Fiber-Optic Chemical Sensors and Fiber-Optic Bio-Sensors

“…Although many cell-based assays have been described, for environmental monitoring, food quality assurance and antidoping screening, few can be regarded as true biosensors [ 144 ]. OF are considered to be ideal transducers for whole cell sensors [ 145 ]. Microorganisms applied as the recognition elements of FOS include both wild and genetically engineered microorganisms.…”