Mechanisms of biofunctionalization of photocorrosion-based semiconductor biosensors for quasi-continuous monitoring of pathogens in water environments

在为空调设计的工业冷却塔中，热水管道和处理过的水受到细菌污染，导致包括加拿大在内的不同国家频繁爆发疾病。为了解决传统方法检测水中病原体的不足，如需要运输到实验室、结果时间长(用于培养)和昂贵的聚合酶链式反应，人们已经研究了许多生物传感平台，但到目前为止还没有一个令人满意的解决方案。我们一直在开发一种新型的量子半导体光子生物传感(QSPB)器件，它使用标准的GaAs基半导体晶片，例如用于制造无处不在的发光二极管器件的那些晶片。这种方法带来了自动化、远程且具有成本吸引力的解决方案的潜力。用我们目前的QSPB生物芯片，结合细菌的趋化效应和机械浓度，估计水中嗜肺军团菌的检测下限(LOD)为1cfu/mL。这一结果将提供足够的保护水平，以防止致病性肺炎链球菌，然而，对高效趋化和机械浓缩步骤的要求是具有挑战性的。或者，只有更灵敏的QSPB设备才能满足获得如此低LOD的要求。这项建议解决了对落后的生物功能化科学和技术进行系统研究的迫切需要，特别是在解决创新的QSPB技术时，但这可能导致以诱人的成本进行超灵敏的细菌检测。为了实现这一目标，我们与两家加拿大公司合作，一家专门实施全国范围内监测水中嗜肺杆菌的计划，另一家开发鸡抗体作为研究和诊断工具。

Bacterial contamination of hot water plumbing and water processed in industrial cooling towers designed for air conditioning has led to frequent disease outbreaks in different countries, including Canada. To address the deficiencies of conventional methods of detecting pathogens in water, such as requirement to transport to a laboratory, long time-to-results (for culture), and expensive polymerase chain reaction, numerous biosensing platforms have been investigated, but without a satisfactory solution as of yet. We have been developing a novel class of quantum semiconductor photonic biosensing (QSPB) devices that employ standard GaAs-based semiconductor wafers, such as those used in the fabrication of ubiquitous light-emitting diode devices. This approach brings the potential of an automated, remote, and cost-attractive solution. The limit of detection (LOD) of Legionella pneumophila in water with our current QSPB biochips, combined with the chemotaxis effect and mechanical concentration of bacteria, has been estimated at 1 CFU/mL. This result would offer an adequate level of protection against pathogenic L. pneumophila, however, the requirement for highly efficient chemotaxis and mechanical concentration steps is challenging. Alternatively, the requirement to obtain such a low LOD could only be met by the availability of more sensitive QSPB devices. This proposal addresses the urgent need to undertake a systematic study of biofunctionalization science and technology that lags behind, especially when addressing the innovative QSPB technology, but which could lead to ultrasensitive detection of bacteria at an attractive cost. To achieve this goal, we collaborate with two Canadian companies, one specializing in implementing a nationwide program of monitoring L. pneumophila in water and the other in developing chicken antibodies as research and diagnostic tools.