Rapid Bacterial Antibiotic Resistance Identification With Microscale Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy Tomography

This study proposes amicroscale electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tomography (EIST) method for identifying bacterial antibiotic resistance. An 8-electrode array microfluidic electrical impedance sensor chip is designed to enable this approach. Firstly, the influence of electrode pair configuration on the sensor's impedance measurement performance is investigated through numerical simulations, leading to the optimization of the sensor's design. Secondly, polystyrene (PS) beads coated with different metal films are used to simulate bacteria cells at various resistance stages in experimental trials. The proposed method is validated both through numerical simulations and experimental data, demonstrating successful localization of target with a diameter of 20 µm, Furthermore, PS beads coated with different metal films, representing varying bacterial antibiotic resistance states, were effectively identified. The results highlight the significant potential of this approach for the rapid, real-time diagnosis of bacterial antibiotic resistance.