Bacterial endospore detection using terbium dipicolinate photoluminescence in the presence of chemical and biological materials

A determination of the viability of an endospore detection technique using terbium dipicolinate photoluminescence in the presence of other chemical and biological materials was performed. The compounds and organisms examined, possible environmental constituents, covered three broad categories: organic compounds, inorganic compounds, and biological materials. Each substance was tested for a false positive, which occurs if the intrinsic terbium photoluminescence is enhanced in the absence of a bacterial endospore, The detection technique was also investigated for false negatives, which occur if a known positive endospore signal is inhibited significantly. Although several materials may give rise to false negative signals, none caused a false positive signal to be observed.