Development of a small portable demonstrator for the detection of E. Coli bacteria using a Long Period Grating Fiber Sensor (LPGFS). The operation of LPGFS is based on the detection of the variation of the refractive index of the environment (in which LPGFS is located) induced by the presence of E. Coli bacteria. The demonstrator has a small chamber in which the liquid sample, suspected of being infested with E. coli bacteria, is placed. It consists of a Sensor Query Module (MIS – LPGFS and optoelectronics) and a Data Acquisition and Processing Unit (UAPD). The design will consider three possible variants: the refractive index of the LPGFS coating is higher, equal or lower than that of the environment surrounding the sensor fiber. The short determination time (5 – 10 min) is a major advantage of the project. The LPGFS-based device can be used for other types of germs of pathogenic bacteria or chemicals present in the gaseous or liquid sample.

With increasing public recognition of threats from bacterial-induced diseases and their potential outbreak among densely populated communities a cheap intrinsically portable biosensor device based on the use of LPGFS, which can perform rapid and accurate identification of E. coli infection is in high demand for to respond to such difficult situations and to control the damage that these diseases could cause. We can say that the use of the device will allow to considerably increase the level of sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population and to prevent such incidents in the future. Because they are more robust, cheaper, simpler, and allow for the proper design of portable devices compared to SPR sensors, LPGFS are not dedicated almost exclusively to laboratory use.