This paper presents the use of a commercial quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) to investigate live-cell activity in water-based toxic solutions. The QCM used in this research has a resonant frequency of 10 MHz and consists of an AT-cut quartz crystal with gold electrodes on both sides. This QCM was transformed into a functional biosensor by integrating with polydimethylsiloxane culturing chambers. Rainbow trout gill epithelial cells were cultured on the resonators as a sensorial layer. The fluctuation of the resonant frequency, due to the change of cell morphology and adhesion, is an indicator of water toxicity. The shift in the resonant frequency provides information about the viability of the cells after exposure to toxicants. The toxicity result shows distinct responses after exposing cells to 0.526 μM of pentachlorophenol (PCP) solution, which is the Military Exposure Guidelines concentration. This research demonstrated that the QCM is sensitive to a low concentration of PCP and no further modification of the QCM surface was required.

中文翻译：

---

基于石英晶体微量天平的水毒性监测MEMS生物传感器

本文介绍了使用商用石英晶体微量天平（QCM）来研究水基有毒溶液中活细胞的活性。本研究中使用的QCM的共振频率为10 MHz，由AT切割的石英晶体组成，两侧均带有金电极。通过与聚二甲基硅氧烷培养室整合，此QCM转变为功能性生物传感器。虹鳟g腮上皮细胞在共振器上作为感觉层进行培养。由于细胞形态和粘附力的变化，共振频率的波动是水毒性的指标。共振频率的变化提供了有关暴露于有毒物质后细胞活力的信息。毒性结果显示将细胞暴露于0.526后不同响应 μ五氯苯酚（PCP）溶液的M，这是《军事暴露指南》中的浓度。这项研究表明，QCM对低浓度的PCP敏感，不需要进一步修饰QCM表面。