{"paper_id":"d13a1a9b-5a92-4fa2-bd85-4b122e5d35c0","body_text":"Adoption of Particle-based Biosensing as a Cost-Disruptive Tool for Diagnosis and Screening Highly Dilute Sample Streams for Bacterial Contamination | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Adoption of Particle-based Biosensing as a Cost-Disruptive Tool for Diagnosis and Screening Highly Dilute Sample Streams for Bacterial Contamination Tochukwu Dubem Anyaduba, Onyinye Gift Uwaechia, Evans Chidi Onwubiko This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9269022/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Revision Version 1 posted 11 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Target amplification and concentration have been barriers to the realization of LMIC-affordable diagnostic platforms and methods for handling dilute sample streams such as urine or water. The need to amplify targets via nucleic acid amplification, cell culture, and centrifugation increase the complexity and cost of the sample screening process, thereby impacting LMIC adoption and testing rigor. Here, we show, for the first time, the feasibility of detecting 100 bacterial CFU/ mL of water without the need for target amplification. This is enabled by Molecular weightstones (MWS) - a class of non-traditional, particle-based biosensors which signal the presence of bacteria via particle-biomarker aggregation and sedimentation. In this proof-of-concept study, we demonstrated detection and quantification of bacteria in water to a limit of 100 CFU/ mL within 10 minutes. At a cost profile of USD 1 per test(unscaled), MWS is instrument-free, yields visually discernible results and can be adapted for quantification and concentration of biomarkers of interest. Biological sciences/Biological techniques Health sciences/Biomarkers Biological sciences/Biotechnology Cost-disruption Rapid Water Testing UTI Drinking water Biosens* Diarrheal Diseases LMIC Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Revision Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 11 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 10 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 28 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 22 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 17 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 17 Apr, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 09 Apr, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 09 Apr, 2026 Editor invited by journal 09 Apr, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 05 Apr, 2026 First submitted to journal 05 Apr, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {\"props\":{\"pageProps\":{\"initialData\":{\"identity\":\"rs-9269022\",\"acceptedTermsAndConditions\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":false,\"archivedVersions\":[],\"articleType\":\"Article\",\"associatedPublications\":[],\"authors\":[{\"id\":617853672,\"identity\":\"0022a332-c55e-41d6-b62e-f066a595413a\",\"order_by\":0,\"name\":\"Tochukwu Dubem Anyaduba\",\"email\":\"data:image/png;base64,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\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"Imperial College London\",\"correspondingAuthor\":true,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Tochukwu\",\"middleName\":\"Dubem\",\"lastName\":\"Anyaduba\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":617853676,\"identity\":\"e38a66b6-bf2c-468b-91b6-0c5a9eefea8e\",\"order_by\":1,\"name\":\"Onyinye Gift Uwaechia\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"Hezekiah University\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Onyinye\",\"middleName\":\"Gift\",\"lastName\":\"Uwaechia\",\"suffix\":\"\"},{\"id\":617853682,\"identity\":\"3462b0cb-e725-4f9e-9164-720937ca7946\",\"order_by\":2,\"name\":\"Evans Chidi Onwubiko\",\"email\":\"\",\"orcid\":\"\",\"institution\":\"Bodmin Hospital\",\"correspondingAuthor\":false,\"prefix\":\"\",\"firstName\":\"Evans\",\"middleName\":\"Chidi\",\"lastName\":\"Onwubiko\",\"suffix\":\"\"}],\"badges\":[],\"createdAt\":\"2026-03-30 15:23:18\",\"currentVersionCode\":1,\"declarations\":\"\",\"doi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9269022/v1\",\"doiUrl\":\"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9269022/v1\",\"draftVersion\":[],\"editorialEvents\":[],\"editorialNote\":\"\",\"failedWorkflow\":false,\"files\":[{\"id\":106404723,\"identity\":\"ede93ea2-f2d3-4a64-adee-d5cef979bb68\",\"added_by\":\"auto\",\"created_at\":\"2026-04-08 09:16:44\",\"extension\":\"pdf\",\"order_by\":1,\"title\":\"\",\"display\":\"\",\"copyAsset\":false,\"role\":\"manuscript-pdf\",\"size\":9201916,\"visible\":true,\"origin\":\"\",\"legend\":\"\",\"description\":\"\",\"filename\":\"TDAOGUECOParticlebasedBiosensing.pdf\",\"url\":\"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9269022/v1_covered_7330a701-bed1-4f14-88ad-0cad71552f6f.pdf\"}],\"financialInterests\":\"No competing interests reported.\",\"formattedTitle\":\"Adoption of Particle-based Biosensing as a Cost-Disruptive Tool for Diagnosis and Screening Highly Dilute Sample Streams for Bacterial Contamination\",\"fulltext\":[],\"fulltextSource\":\"\",\"fullText\":\"\",\"funders\":[],\"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow\":false,\"hasManuscriptDocX\":false,\"hasOptedInToPreprint\":true,\"hasPassedJournalQc\":\"\",\"hasAnyPriority\":true,\"hideJournal\":false,\"highlight\":\"\",\"institution\":\"\",\"isAcceptedByJournal\":false,\"isAuthorSuppliedPdf\":true,\"isDeskRejected\":\"\",\"isHiddenFromSearch\":false,\"isInQc\":false,\"isInWorkflow\":false,\"isPdf\":true,\"isPdfUpToDate\":true,\"isWithdrawnOrRetracted\":false,\"journal\":{\"display\":true,\"email\":\"info@researchsquare.com\",\"identity\":\"scientific-reports\",\"isNatureJournal\":false,\"hasQc\":true,\"allowDirectSubmit\":false,\"externalIdentity\":\"scirep\",\"sideBox\":\"Learn more about [Scientific Reports](http://www.nature.com/srep/)\",\"snPcode\":\"\",\"submissionUrl\":\"\",\"title\":\"Scientific Reports\",\"twitterHandle\":\"\",\"acdcEnabled\":true,\"dfaEnabled\":true,\"editorialSystem\":\"stoa\",\"reportingPortfolio\":\"Scientific Reports\",\"inReviewEnabled\":true,\"inReviewRevisionsEnabled\":true},\"keywords\":\"Cost-disruption, Rapid Water Testing, UTI, Drinking water, Biosens*, Diarrheal Diseases, LMIC\",\"lastPublishedDoi\":\"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9269022/v1\",\"lastPublishedDoiUrl\":\"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9269022/v1\",\"license\":{\"name\":\"CC BY 4.0\",\"url\":\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/\"},\"manuscriptAbstract\":\"Target amplification and concentration have been barriers to the realization of LMIC-affordable diagnostic platforms and methods for handling dilute sample streams such as urine or water. 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