BEEP-C-EN

Bio-sensor for Effective Environmental Protection and Commercialization - ENhanced

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'The objective of BEEP-C-EN is the integration of innovative biosensor research and technology and their exploitation by industry and/or other socio-economic entities in the fields of environment and agro-industry. The first target application is the detection of pesticides, heavy metal and organic compounds in water. The aim is building up a biosensor modular industrial platform, which can be easily adopted for multi-parameter/multi-sensor design and production. It consists of a series of electrochemical-optical sensors and microsystems suitable for various biomediators (microrganisms, DNA, proteins or cells) and based on new technologies studied and developed by the research performers in the consortium. The transduction approach is suggested by two main biomediator properties, often exploited in biosensor operation in response to analyte or modification of a physical-chemical condition: the variation of the bioluminescence/fluorescence emission and the internal electrical behaviour. These changes when transduced to readable electrical signals can give complementary information: the modification of a current signal is correlated to the electrogenic property of the biomediator (e.g. inhibition of Photosystem II electron transfer in the presence of a pesticide), while a modificaton of fluorescence is often correlated to a conformational modification (e.g. interaction of Photosystem II protein with ionizing radiation). The specific proposed devices are: 1) MultiLights: modular optical transducer for autonomous measurements of bioluminescence/fluorescence of several biomediators assembled in series; 2) MultiAmps: modular electrochemical transducer for measurements of current and voltage variations; 3) MultiTasks: a multitransduction biosensor based on simultaneous and autonomous measurement either of bioluminescence either of current variations.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Researchers have designed prototype portable biosensor devices that can detect common pesticides, heavy metals and other pollutants in water.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Countless industrial and agricultural activities result in the pollution of natural water sources. Without simple and rapid detection methods, it is difficult to get a handle on the scope of the problem.

The EU-funded 'Bio-sensor for effective environmental protection and commercialization - Enhanced' (http://www.beep-c-en.com (BEEP-C-EN)) project advanced designs for a flexible biosensor platform for detecting pollutants in water. Specifically, the project targeted three prototype sensor devices based on different methods of signal transduction.

Project members began by sourcing various enzymes and single-celled organisms that are sensitive to common pesticides or heavy metal poisoning (called biomediators). Much of BEEP-C-EN's research focused on characterising the stability and sensitivity of these compounds in order to select the most promising ones. Once identified, researchers looked for ways to immobilise the biomediators to form the core of the biosensor device.

Another major research area looked at optical and electrochemical sensors. Once all the parts were selected and software designed, the biosensor prototypes were built and tested over a three-month period. Researchers found that the devices were robust, affordable, accurate, and ready for commercial application.

BEEP-C-EN also completed a life-cycle analysis and user manual for the devices. Packaging and final design will be concluded before the BEEP-C-EN devices are made available to the public.