idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
When water samples are tested for microbiological contamination today, the process still often begins and ends in a laboratory: collect the sample, transport it, analyze it, and wait for the result. Fraunhofer IMM’s InBaDtec platform is designed to fundamentally change exactly this workflow. The system brings the analysis to where it is needed – directly to the point of use.
At the core of the platform is a fully automated process chain in which sample preparation takes place directly within the system. Instead of requiring multiple manual processing steps, the platform independently handles the water sample and prepares it for qPCR-based detection. This transforms what has traditionally been a laboratory-bound procedure into a compact, decentralized solution that enables rapid decision-making on site. The sample to result time is around one to two hours.
Fully automated – and open to standard PCR systems
A key advantage of InBaDtec lies in its modular design. The platform is engineered to adapt to a wide range of applications and requirements. This also means that the system can be configured for integration with commercially available PCR instruments. For operators, this provides greater flexibility and lowers the barrier to entry compared with closed turnkey systems that function only within their own proprietary device ecosystem. At the same time, staffing requirements are significantly reduced: the analysis can be carried out by the operator’s own personnel. No additional specialized laboratory staff are required. This is a crucial step forward, especially in applications where a rapid response is essential.
No sample shipment to a central lab – the result is generated on site
The platform’s real strength lies in relocating analytics from the central laboratory to the actual point of application. Unlike many commercial PCR solutions, the sample does not need to be sent to a central laboratory first. This saves time, reduces logistical effort, and significantly shortens the interval between sampling and result generation. In water management, industrial processes, and hygiene-sensitive environments in particular, this time advantage can be critical depending on the nature of the contamination. Operators gain clarity more quickly as to whether microbial contamination is present and can respond earlier.
qPCR in comparison with fluorescence-based flow cytometry and culture-based methods
For detection, InBaDtec relies on the globally established qPCR method. This approach is particularly suitable when specific microorganisms must be identified and quantified rapidly, sensitively, and selectively. Compared with traditional culture-based methods, qPCR often delivers results significantly faster and is therefore especially attractive for time-critical applications, such as those involving hygiene-relevant pathogens. However, without additional viability strategies, it cannot reliably distinguish between viable and non-viable cells.
Fluorescence-based flow cytometry is very fast and particularly strong in screening applications as well as in determining total cell counts and intact cell counts. It is fundamentally well suited for trend monitoring and process control. In direct comparison with qPCR, however, it is often less specific, more instrumentally complex, and not approved worldwide for all fields of application.
Culture-based methods are well established and widely anchored in regulatory frameworks. They provide information on cultivable organisms but often require significantly more time and personnel. In addition, they do not reliably detect certain viable but non-cultivable cells. As a result, there is a risk of underestimating hazardous microbial contamination.
Expandable to differentiate VBNC cells
This is where the InBaDtec platform opens additional possibilities. Thanks to its modular architecture, it can potentially be expanded as needed to enable differentiation between viable but non-cultivable cells (VBNC) and total cell count. This is particularly relevant in applications where, as mentioned above, conventional culture-based methods reach their limits because health-relevant cells may be present without becoming detectable in a culture system.
Thanks to its platform-based approach, InBaDtec is not only a solution for decentralized qPCR analytics but can also be developed into an application-specific, expandable overall system for a wide variety of use cases. These include cooling water, drinking water, wastewater, swimming pool and bathing water, bioreactors, the food and beverage industry, and the pharmaceutical industry.
Experience InBaDtec live at IFAT
We will be demonstrating both the InBaDtec system and other key applications in water analysis and continuous quality monitoring of liquids, such as:
Real-time quality control of hydroponic solutions
Flow detection of nanoparticle size distributions
Inline cell staining for flow cytometry in bioreactor workflows
Our colleagues on site look forward to seeing you at Hall B2, Booth 115.
sisi.li@imm.fraunhofer.de
As portable as a suitcase: The InBaDtec system
Copyright: Fraunhofer IMM
As portable as a suitcase: The InBaDtec system
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As portable as a suitcase: The InBaDtec system
Copyright: Fraunhofer IMM
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