Bacterial concentration and detection with ultrasound

The ability to detect low concentrations of bacteria is crucial in providing safe food and water supplies. However, current conventional methods to detect bacteria are time-consuming, laborious and typically have poor detection limits. This work addresses this by means of a microfluidic platform, which utilises ultrasound to concentrate and detect bacterial cells from low abundance samples. The system exploits a microparticle resonance such that, the scattered ultrasonic waves impose an attractive force, allowing for capture of bacterial cells travelling in close proximity. This work was combined with various detection technologies, providing a versatile miniaturised platform for rapid, continuous bacterial monitoring.