Work

Microbial Identification Through Multispectral Infrared Imaging of Colonies: A New Type of Morpho‐Spectral Fingerprinting

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: We describe a proof of concept for a new microbial identification technique using Direct Frequency Infrared (DFIR) multispectral imaging. This approach combines Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) light sources with a microbolometer array in a lensless configuration to capture detailed multispectral images of microbial colonies. These optical fingerprints blend both morphological and spectral information, without the need for staining or colony picking. A proof-of-concept database was acquired, comprising 10 strains from 8 species across 4 distinct genera. In total, 2253 microbial colonies were imaged at 9 different mid-infrared wavelengths. Machine learning classification correctly identified up to 94.4% ± 1.6 of colonies fingerprints, efficiently discriminating even closely related strains. Reducing the number of wavelengths to 4 maintained high classification performance, demonstrating the method's robustness. The resulting system is faster and simpler than existing FTIR imaging systems, making it a promising tool for microbial identification.

Source: Microbial Biotechnology

DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.70093

Authors: Joel Le Galudec, Mathieu Dupoy, Laurent Duraffourg, Véronique Rebuffel, Pierre R. Marcoux

Institutions: Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives, CEA Grenoble, Laboratoire d'Électronique des Technologies de l'Information

Language: English

Topic: Spectroscopy Techniques in Biomedical and Chemical Research

Subfield: Biophysics

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $4,260

Funder: Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives