Evaluation of the Doodlebug: A Biochip for Detecting Waterborne Pathogens
Abstract
This report analyzes the effectiveness of the Doodlebug biochip in detecting and discriminating among several waterborne pathogens. The biochip uses surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) microscopy to identify pathogens. The report reveals that the SERS method can identify Legionella bacteria and Cryptosporidium oocytes at species and subspecies levels, and can differentiate between viable and nonviable organisms. The project also demonstrated that the Doodlebug could simultaneously identify two different pathogens. The study indicates that the Doodlebug could become an effective tool to quickly detect many waterborne pathogens, while minimizing false responses. Published by WERF. 88 pages. Online PDF.
Originally funded as WERF project 00-HHE-8UR.
