Bacteria can cause a considerable amount of damage in the air of operation theaters or clean rooms. It is vitally important that they are quickly and clearly identified. In the past this was possible only after they had been cultivated for several days on nutrient agars. Within the scope of the "OMIB" joint project over the last five years scientists have researched the bases for a rapid on-site monitor that allows bacteria to be identified within a very short time. Berlin company rap-ID plans to put its automatic monitor on to the market this year.

When bacteria are being identified, whether in the area of civil defense or in environments that have to meet the requirements of a clean room, it is often important to have reliable results very quickly. Traditional microbiology, which works on the basis of several days cultivation of samples in Petri dishes, cannot keep up. These days there are also newer genetic methods, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), which consist of multiplying specific, previously selected DNA fragments. However, for these methods it is necessary for the scientists to know in advance of the analysis which bacteria they are looking for.

Within one second the innovative automatic monitor to identify bacteria can characterize a single, even previously unknown, bacterium on a strain level without any previous assumptions being made. The multiplication stage is also unnecessary.

The device is based on a combination of Raman spectroscopy and an image analysis process. The first makes use of the fact that every molecule of a laser light scatters in a very specific way. Hence, you get an unmistakable "molecular fingerprint" for every microbe which is evaluated via sample recognition.

In detail, a bacterium is focused by laser light and the monitor records an image of the respective object. This is compared with an existing database spectrum and can thus be identified.

Potential applications for the Biopartikel Explorer are hospitals and production facilities for drugs, cosmetics or food. According to rap ID the device could also be used in the area of civil defense. Here, the monitor could be used to quickly identify hazardous microbiological contamination. The device could also help control all types of cleaning work better.

A few minor details are still being ironed out regarding sampling. According to the Managing Director of rap ID, Dr. Oliver Valet, the monitor will still come on to the market this year at a price of around 150,000 to 200,000 euros.

Automatic monitor to identify bacteria.
Copyright: rap-ID