*** 9531303 Scheer This NSF Phase II SBIR will produce an inexpensive, direct reading sensor, capable of real time measurement of bacterial contamination in sensitive areas, such as food and pharmaceutical facilities and water treatment plants. During phase I of this project the proposer demonstrated the feasibility of detecting ATP in quantities as small as 10-9 g (2x10-12 moles) both visually and on photographic film. The technology employs the firefly luciferase catalyzed light producing reaction between luciferin and ATP. By mediating the ATP concentration with the "ATPase" apyrase, the proposer is able to produce a spatial light pattern which indicates the concentration of ATP present in a sample. In this project the proposer will focus on increasing the sensitivity of our direct reading ATP sensor to levels more suited to bacterial detection (10-12 to 10-13 g). This increase in sensitivity will be achieved by three primary means: 1) increasing the intensity and/or duration of the luminescence for a given quantity of ATP, 2) increasing the amount of light that reaches the detector (film or otherwise), and 3) optimizing the non-instrumented detector for the system. Each of these objectives should contribute at least one order of magnitude increase in absolute ATP sensitivity. Rapid, simple, inexpensive and reliable measurement of bacterial contamination will facilitate industrial compliance with safe food and dairy practices. The sensors can also be applied to a range of medical and pharmaceutical environments and products. Eventually, marketing efforts will lead to consumer use in the home for the sanitary monitoring of kitchen and bathroom surfaces. ***
