Simultaneous detection of six biohazardous agents using a planar waveguidearray biosensor

Recently, we demonstrated that an array biosensor could be used with cockta ils of fluorescent antibodies to perform three assays simultaneously on a s ingle substrate, and that multiple samples could be analyzed in parallel. W e extend this technology to demonstrate the simultaneous analysis of six sa mples for six different hazardous analytes, including both bacteria and pro tein toxins. The level of antibody cross-reactivity is explored, revealing a possible common epitope in two of the toxins. A panel of environmental in terferents was added to the samples; these interferents neither prevented t he detection of the analytes nor caused false-positive responses. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.