Sensors 2013, 13(2), 2484-2493; doi:10.3390/s130202484
Article

Detection of Micrococcus Luteus Biofilm Formation in Microfluidic Environments by pH Measurement Using an Ion-Sensitive Field-Effect Transistor

Koji Matsuura 1,* email, Yuka Asano 1 email, Akira Yamada 2,3 email and Keiji Naruse 3,* email
1 Research Core for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Okayama University, 3-1-1 Tsushima-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8530, Japan 2 Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hiroshima Institute of Technology, 2-1-1 Miyake, Saeki-ku, Hiroshima 731-5193, Japan 3 Cardiovascular Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
* Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 26 December 2012; in revised form: 8 February 2013 / Accepted: 10 February 2013 / Published: 18 February 2013
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Abstract: Biofilm formation in microfluidic channels is difficult to detect because sampling volumes are too small for conventional turbidity measurements. To detect biofilm formation, we used an ion-sensitive field-effect transistor (ISFET) measurement system to measure pH changes in small volumes of bacterial suspension. Cells of Micrococcus luteus (M. luteus) were cultured in polystyrene (PS) microtubes and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)-based microfluidic channels laminated with polyvinylidene chloride. In microtubes, concentrations of bacteria and pH in the suspension were analyzed by measuring turbidity and using an ISFET sensor, respectively. In microfluidic channels containing 20 μL of bacterial suspension, we measured pH changes using the ISFET sensor and monitored biofilm formation using a microscope. We detected acidification and alkalinization phases of M. luteus from the ISFET sensor signals in both microtubes and microfluidic channels. In the alkalinization phase, after 2 day culture, dense biofilm formation was observed at the bottom of the microfluidic channels. In this study, we used an ISFET sensor to detect biofilm formation in clinical and industrial microfluidic environments by detecting alkalinization of the culture medium.
Keywords: ion-sensing field-effect transistor; Micrococcus luteus biofilm; alkalinization; microfluidic channel

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MDPI and ACS Style

Matsuura, K.; Asano, Y.; Yamada, A.; Naruse, K. Detection of Micrococcus Luteus Biofilm Formation in Microfluidic Environments by pH Measurement Using an Ion-Sensitive Field-Effect Transistor. Sensors 2013, 13, 2484-2493.

AMA Style

Matsuura K, Asano Y, Yamada A, Naruse K. Detection of Micrococcus Luteus Biofilm Formation in Microfluidic Environments by pH Measurement Using an Ion-Sensitive Field-Effect Transistor. Sensors. 2013; 13(2):2484-2493.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Matsuura, Koji; Asano, Yuka; Yamada, Akira; Naruse, Keiji. 2013. "Detection of Micrococcus Luteus Biofilm Formation in Microfluidic Environments by pH Measurement Using an Ion-Sensitive Field-Effect Transistor." Sensors 13, no. 2: 2484-2493.

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