<title>Compact phase-resolved fluorescence spectrometer for detection and discrimination of airborne and waterborne bacteria</title>

Abstract

We report on the development of a compact, portable fluorescence lifetime instrument based on phase resolved fluorescence spectroscopy (PRFS). The PRFS biosensor has been designed for detection and discrimination of individual pathogenic bacteria in a biological mixture. The light source can be modulated from 10 - 200 MHz and fluorescence emission is measured by a miniature photomultiplier tube after passing through a compact spectrometer. We have successfully extracted and measured the existence of a mixture of three far-red fluorescent dyes which have similar or overlapping spectral signatures. Data are presented demonstrating the instrument's ability to separate individual fluorophores from a complex mixture using a specially designed chemometric extraction algorithm. This instrument was designed for the possible direct detection and discrimination of the intrinsic fluorescence of biological warfare agents.