Biophotonics applied to parasitology: measuring ultra-weak light emission from Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp.

• Grant number: 11/10763-6
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2011
• End date: August 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Sanitary Engineering - Environmental Sanitation
• Principal Investigator: Cristiano de Mello Gallep
• Grantee: Cristiano de Mello Gallep
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Tecnologia (FT). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Limeira , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Cassiana Maria Reganhan Coneglian ; José Euclides Stipp Paterniani

Abstract

This project aims to prospect the ultraweak light emission from microorganisms, with focus on water quality, mainly environmental parasitology. The intended goal is to detect the light emission in samples of Cryptosporidium spp and Giardia spp and to correlate the data with the microorganisms' metabolic activity. The methodology, based on photon-counting experiments, uses a prototyped set-up with a photomultiplier tube inside the dark-chamber with controlled temperature. The idea is to evaluate the prototype and compare the performance to the one of a commercial device (PMX-6100). The obtained data will be numerically evaluated and compared with the incidence of these microorganisms according to USEPA, method 1623.With this study, its is estimated implement new operational facilities and increase the accuracy of tests involving these microorganisms - leading to reduction of time analysis to a few hours, instead of many days required by current tests, including mice incubation. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DOS SANTOS, SAMUEL RICARDO; BRANCO, NILSON; BUENO FRANCO, REGINA MAURA; STIPP PATERNIANI, JOSE EUCLIDES; KATSUMATA, MASAKAZU; BARLOW, PETER W.; GALLEP, CRISTIANO DE MELLO. Fluorescence decay of dyed protozoa: differences between stressed and non-stressed cysts. LUMINESCENCE, v. 30, n. 7, p. 1139-1147, NOV 2015. (10/07792-1, 11/10763-6, 13/01501-3)

GALLEP, CRISTIANO M.; MORAES, THIAGO A.; CERVINKOVA, KATERINA; CIFRA, MICHAL; KATSUMATA, MASAKAZU; BARLOW, PETER W.. Lunisolar tidal synchronism with biophoton emission during intercontinental wheat-seedling germination tests. PLANT SIGNALING & BEHAVIOR, v. 9, n. 5, p. 5-pg., 2014-01-01. (11/10763-6)

BERTOGNA, E.; BEZERRA, J.; CONFORTI, E.; GALLEP, C. M.. Acute stress in seedlings detected by ultra-weak photon emission. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY B-BIOLOGY, v. 118, p. 74-76, JAN 5 2013. (11/10763-6)

Filed patent(s) as a result of this research project