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Simplified determination of bacterial contamination by Escherichia coli using a flow injection system with piezoelectric detection

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Abstract

A rapid and automated method was developed for the determination of bacterial contamination and using Escherichia coli as a model microorganism. The method involves the use of a sensor connected to a flow injection (FI) system. The sample is introduced through a flow injection system into a piezoelectric quartz crystal (PQC) flow-cell. The resulting change of the resonance frequency is related to the bacterial contamination in the sample. The parameters associated with the flow system and the conditions for introducing the sample culture were optimized. Calibration curves are linear in the range from 3.2 × 107 to 3.2 × 109 cfu per mL-1, with a correlation coefficient of 0.997. The reproducibility was between 3.1 and 7.6%, and the detection limit is 1.1 × 107 cfu per mL-1. The method allowed the determination of bacterial contamination in residual water and in samples of milk and chicken stock within 5 h, while the conventional plate count method requires 24 to 48 h. The results obtained by these two methods are in good agreement.

A rapid and automated method for the determination of bacterial growth contamination is proposed and Escherichia coli was used as a model microorganism. The methodology involves the use of a piezoelectric quartz crystal (PQC) sensor connected to a flow injection (FI) system. The sample was introduced through the FI system and the resonant frequency change of PQC is related to the bacterial contamination in the sample. The method allows the successful determination of bacteria in residual water and several food samples

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Acknowledgements

Financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology (Project CTQ2010-15027) and the Junta de Comunidades of Castilla-La Mancha (PAC08-0015-0722) are gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Analytical Chemistry and Food Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Avda. Camilo José Cela s/n, E-13071, Ciudad Real, Spain

    María R. Plata, Ana M. Contento & Ángel Ríos

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  1. María R. Plata
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  2. Ana M. Contento
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  3. Ángel Ríos
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Correspondence to Ángel Ríos.

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Plata, M.R., Contento, A.M. & Ríos, Á. Simplified determination of bacterial contamination by Escherichia coli using a flow injection system with piezoelectric detection. Microchim Acta 172, 447–454 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00604-010-0504-0

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