Patent ID: 7687239

Claim:
A system for detecting a first type of viable microorganism in a solution, comprising: a chamber comprising a first electrophoresis electrode and a second electrophoresis electrode on opposing walls of the chamber, wherein the electrodes are configured to cause said microorganism to migrate toward said first electrode when a potential is applied between the electrodes; an input port configured to transport said solution into the chamber between the electrodes; an output port configured to transport said solution out of said chamber; a first capture surface disposed on said first electrode, said capture surface comprising a plurality of first capture agents that bind to said first type of viable microorganism, wherein a viable microorganism is a microorganism that engages in growth and division; an electrode controller operably linked to the first and second electrodes, said controller configured to control the potential between the first and second electrodes; an optical detector configured to detect the quantity of said first type of viable microorganism bound to the first capture agents; and a storage controller that stores the quantity of the first type of viable microorganism as determined by the optical detector.