A low-cost, innovative and non-invasive colorimetric test, which can be universally used, is proposed to detect pathogenic bacteria via the simple and fast detection of volatile metabolites released by enzymatic hydrolysis. The proof of concept is shown via three sets of experiments studying the release of the p-nitrophenol metabolite in solution in the E. coli cultures containing 4-nitrophenyl-β-d-glucuronide, the trapping efficiency of the gaseous metabolite by various tailored and functionalized xerogels, and the trapping and detection of gaseous p-nitrophenol released by E. coli bacteria.
A noninvasive and low cost colorimetric test is proposed to detect microorganisms in complex media via volatile metabolites released by enzymatic activity. The sensor is based on a hydrid organic-inorganic nanoporous xerogel. This transparent and colorless silica matrix traps and concentrates targeted volatile metabolites which are then detected by absorbance measurements. Ortho-nitrophenol was chosen as a volatile metabolite. At a first stage, the trapping efficiencies of various functionalized xerogels were compared in order to optimize the detection of ortho-nitrophenol. As a second step, we used xerogels with the best composition to detect E. coli cells in blood samples.
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