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US 4,009,078 AGranted
Detecting the presence of microorganisms
AssigneesThe United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, University of Virginia
InventorsJudd R. Wilkins, Glenn E. Stoner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The presence of microorganisms in a sample is determined by culturing microorganisms in a growth medium which is in contact with a measuring electrode and a reference electrode and detecting a change in potential between the electrodes caused by the presence of the microorganisms in the medium with a high impedance potentiometer.
Claims15
A method for detecting the presence of a microorganism in a fluid sample, which comprises:
- culturing a microorganism in a liquid growth medium which is in contact with a measuring electrode and a reference electrode;
- and
- detecting the changing potential between said electrodes, which arises by the migration and accumulation of said microorganism adjacent the surface of said measuring electrode thus forming a charge-charge interaction between said measuring electrode and accumulated microorganisms, by measuring said potential change with a high impedance potentiometer having an input impedance of 10.sup.7 to 10.sup.10 ohms.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.