Ultra-Sensitive Detection of Bacterial Spores via SERS.

ABSTRACT: Bacterial spores are highly resilient and capable of surviving extreme conditions, making them a persistent threat in contexts such as disease transmission, food safety, and bioterrorism. Their ability to withstand conventional sterilization methods necessitates rapid and accurate detection techniques to effectively mitigate the risks they present. In this study, we introduce a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) approach for detecting Bacillus thuringiensis spores by targeting calcium dipicolinate acid (CaDPA), a biomarker uniquely associated with bacterial spores. Our method uses probe sonication to disrupt spores, releasing their CaDPA, which is then detected by SERS on drop-dried supernatant mixed with gold nanorods. This simple approach enables the selective detection of

SUBMITTER: Segervald J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11877637 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature