Label-free optical detection of bacteria on a 1-D photonic crystal of porous silicon

The construction of a specific, label-free, bacteria biosensor using porous silicon 1-D photonic crystals will be described. Bacteria resident on the surface of porous silicon act as scattering centers for light resonant with the photonic crystal; the diffusely scattered light possesses the optical spectrum of the underlying photonic crystal. Using a spectrometer fitted to a light microscope, the bacteria are imaged without using exogenous dyes or labels and are quantified by measuring the intensity of scattered light. In order to selectively bind and identify bacteria using porous Si, we use surface modifications to reduce nonspecific binding to the surface and to engineer bacteria specificity onto the surface. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was adsorbed to the porous Si surface to reduce nonspecific binding of bacteria. The coatings were then chemically activated to immobilize polyclonal antibodies specific to Escherichia coli. Two E. coli strains were used in this study, E. coli DH5 alpha and non-pathogenic enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) strain. The nonpathogenic Vibrio cholerae O1 strain was used to test for antibody specificity. Successful attachment of antibodies was measured using fluorescence microscopy and the scattering method was used to test for bacteria binding specificity.