Construction and Evaluation of Self-Luminescent Biosensors

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Biosensors will be constructed and evaluated for monitoring mercury and toluene in the environment and for monitoring the metabolic activity of cells in a bioreactor. The biosensors all operate on the same principle of using microorganisms containing the lux genes to produce light in response to induction by an analyte. The light will be collected with a simple semiconductor juction (diode). The microorganisms and the photodiode will be interfaced to produce a biosensor devise. Advantages of our approach include immediate commercial opportunities, appropriate sensitivity and selectivity for the analytes, existing sophistication of light collection and analysis, and generalizability of the concept to produce a whole range of similar devices capable of reporting other environmental toxicants, drugs, pharmaceuticals, organisms and many other biological compounds.