DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF A SOPHISTICATED BIOSENSING PLATFORM FOR BACTERIAL SENSING VIA AMPLIFIED EXTRACELLULAR ELECTRON TRANSFER PROFICIENCY

Abstract

This study focuses on the development of a biosensing system suitable for bacterial detection. Bacterial diseases are a major concern worldwide and therefore constant research is going on to develop methods for rapid their rapid and timely detection. Recent research shows that pathogens can undergo extracellular electron transfer (EET) in anaerobic conditions. Bacteria can transfer an electron across their cell wall to an available insoluble solid electron acceptor and produce a current signal if connected to an external circuit. This current can be used for bacterial detection but has a low magnitude. A new sensing material has been synthesized which is a porous metal-organic framework (MOF) known as Fe-MIL-88B-NH2 with Carbon Nanotubes (CNT) and Copper (Cu) nanoparticles attached to its surface. The MOF provides a relatively large surface area, whereas the attached Cu and CNT particles increase the material's conductivity. Two chemical mediators, riboflavin and 2-hydroxy-1,4 naphthoquinone (HNQ), were also used to enhance the current production. This material Fe-Mil-88B-NH2 has never been used for bacterial sensing before. Its composite with Cu @ CNT nanoparticles has also not been synthesized before