Rapid and label-free screening and identification of Anthrax simulants by Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Antonia Lai; Salvatore Almaviva; Valeria Spizzichino; Antonio Palucci; Lorella Addari; Domenico Luciani; Sandro Mengali; Christophe Marquette; Ophélie Berthuy; Bartlomiej Jankiewicz; Luigi Pierno

doi:10.1117/12.2068170

31 October 2014 Rapid and label-free screening and identification of Anthrax simulants by Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

Antonia Lai, Salvatore Almaviva, Valeria Spizzichino, Antonio Palucci, Lorella Addari, Domenico Luciani, Sandro Mengali, Christophe Marquette, Ophélie Berthuy, Bartlomiej Jankiewicz, Luigi Pierno

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 9253, Optics and Photonics for Counterterrorism, Crime Fighting, and Defence X; and Optical Materials and Biomaterials in Security and Defence Systems Technology XI; 92530U (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2068170
Event: SPIE Security + Defence, 2014, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Abstract

In the framework of RAMBO (Rapid-Air Monitoring particle against biological threats) project of the European Defense Agency (EDA), the feasibility of an unattended Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) sensor for biological threats detection was investigated. Its main goal concern Bacillus anthrax detection, both as vegetative cells and endospores. However since such bacteria are classified in Risk Group 3 (very dangerous microorganism), Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus atrophaeus were used as simulants. In order to bind selectively the target bacilli, Phages properly selected were immobilized on an active commercially available SERS substrate (functionalization). The Phages are a type of virus that infect selectively, by means of receptors, specific bacteria. Moreover they can resist on water or air environments without losing their binding capabilities. The sensing surface was characterized by standard micro-Raman equipments to assess the background Raman features. The Raman measurements have been carried out from 10X to 100X of magnification to differentiate between average and local features. Moreover the fast response was acquired by limiting the measure time at less than 1 minute. Samples of vegetative cells and endospores of Bacilli were randomly dispersed on the functionalized SERS substrates. The results obtained are promising: samples with and without bacilli could be distinguished one from the other. This is a step toward the use of SERS as an effective and fast technique for early warning of biological threats.

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Antonia Lai, Salvatore Almaviva, Valeria Spizzichino, Antonio Palucci, Lorella Addari, Domenico Luciani, Sandro Mengali, Christophe Marquette, Ophélie Berthuy, Bartlomiej Jankiewicz, and Luigi Pierno "Rapid and label-free screening and identification of Anthrax simulants by Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy", Proc. SPIE 9253, Optics and Photonics for Counterterrorism, Crime Fighting, and Defence X; and Optical Materials and Biomaterials in Security and Defence Systems Technology XI, 92530U (31 October 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2068170

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