Microbe identification

Raman spectroscopy has become established as a powerful analytical technique for the rapid identification of microbes.

4 October 2011

Microbe identification

Raman spectroscopy has become established as a powerful analytical technique for the rapid identification of microbes.

A spectroscopic fingerprint from the microbial sample provides quantitative and qualitative information which can be used to characterise, discriminate and identify microorganisms, in both the bulk environment and at the single cell level.

StreamHR™ imaging enables the physiochemical properties of microbes to be quickly determined at the very high spatial resolution.

Conventional methods for identifying microbes, such as genomic based polymerase chain reaction (PCR), have low sensitivity and require prolonged culturing of microbes (over several days) to gather a large enough sample for identification.

Thus the use of Raman spectroscopy - a sensitive physiochemical tool - can provide more rapid and effective diagnosis and treatment of infection, and/or the identification of biological agents and aid the implementation of counter-measures.

For further information on Raman Spectroscopy visit www.renishaw.com/raman.

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