Specific phage based bacteria detection using microcantilever sensors

• Author / Creator

  Glass, Nicholas

• Resonant microcantilevers are promising transducers for bacteria detection because of their
  high sensitivities. Surface stress and mass from adsorbates affect the resonant frequency.
  We developed a novel method for decoupling the frequency contributions of a change in
  mass and surface stress on a cantilever sensor validated in theoretical, finite element and
  experimental framework.
  Bacteria capture was achieved by several different chemical immobilization of T4
  phages. The most successful bacteria capturing surface produced bacterial densities of
  about 11 bacteria/100^m2. The developed theory is then applied to determine captured
  bacterial mass on the cantilevers. This provides an estimate of the bacteria mass on
  the cantilever. Two different functionalizations resulted in predicted bacterial densities
  of 5 bacteria/100^m2 and 3 bacteria/100^m2. Poor densities relative to surface capture
  experiments is caused by the boundary effects of the cantilever in solution.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Microcantilever
  • Biosensors
  • Bacteriophage
  • MEMS
  • Mass Sensor

• Graduation date

  Fall 2009

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3NP6X

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.