Discriminating Bacteria With Functionalised Nanoporous Xerogels

A new colorimetric and easy-to-use solid sensor for the detection of indole-producing bacteria is described. The sensor is a nanoporous matrix with tailored pores doped with a reactant, DMACA. The sensor turns rapidly from transparent to green-blue when exposed to metabolic indole coming from bacteria cultures, both in liquid and gas phases. An example of the discrimination between indole-positive (Eschericia coli) and indole-negative bacteria (Hafnia alvei), two important contaminants in food industry is given.