A Direct, Multiplex Biosensor Platform for Pathogen Detection Based on Cross‐linked Polydiacetylene (PDA) Supramolecules

Abstract This study focuses on the development of a multiplex pathogen‐detection platform based on polydiacetylene (PDA) using a novel immobilization procedure. PDA liposome‐based solid sensors have a critical drawback as the PDA liposomes are not stably immobilized onto the solid substrate. Therefore, to overcome this problem, an interlinker, ethylenediamine, is introduced, which acts as a cross‐linker between individual PDA liposomes. The quantity of ethylenediamine added was optimized to 1 mM, as measured by the fluorescence signal emitted by the stably immobilized PDA liposomes, a concentration at which the fluorescence signal is 10 times higher than for the resulting PDA chips made without the interlinker. This procedure is used to manufacture PDA liposome‐based multiplex biosensor arrays for well‐known water and food‐borne pathogens. The fabricated biosensor was able to perform the simultaneous and quantitative detection of 6 species of pathogens. As such, the results demonstrated from this research can be exploited for the development of more advanced PDA‐based biosensors and diagnostics.