Microbial sensor system for rapid kanamycin detection in conducting solutions

Use of large numbers of antibacterial drugs leads to increased pollution of the environment, especially water resources. Therefore, it is important to devise methods for the rapid detection and determination of antibiotics in aqueous solutions. We describe a microbial sensor system that is based on a resonator with a lateral electric field and is intended for the rapid detection and determination of kanamycin in aqueous solutions. Kanamycin was selectively determined in a solution with a conductivity of 1300 μS/cm. The lower detection limit was 0.5 μg/mL, and the analysis time was less than 5 min. The change in the electric impedance modulus of the sensor after kanamycin action on the bacteria served as an analytical signal. This sensor system is promising, because it can be used repeatedly and does not require immobilization of the analysis components on the sensor surface.