Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) probes were coated with sol-gel thin films and imprinted with various bacterial cells to use as bio-sensors for rapid and selective microbial detection in liquid environments. Experimental bacteria, immobilized onto the quartz electrode coated surface were eluted. The eluted bacteria left specific molecular fingerprints into imprinted film cavities beside their morphology, as revealed by electron microscopy (HR-SEM and EDS). The imprinted films showed high selectivity and sensitivity towards the experimental template bacteria along the adsorption process from water. Macromolecular imprinted probes (gold electrode) exposed to bacteria and recorded by QCM revealed a significant different pattern compared to non-imprinted probes. The sensitivity of these imprinted probes was ~ 103 CFU/ml, allowing this method to be a promising improved technique for selective detection and quantification of bacteria present in various liquids.
