CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 1,518,761us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 637,146us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 2,760,563us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 1,234,500us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative	2,901,207	3,297,739	7,569,950	7,143,317
Research and development	373,380us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	359,782us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	651,652us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	819,086us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense
Depreciation and amortization	123,079us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization	106,810us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization	232,805us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization	212,025us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization
Total operating expenses	3,397,666us-gaap_OperatingExpenses	3,764,331us-gaap_OperatingExpenses	8,454,407us-gaap_OperatingExpenses	8,174,428us-gaap_OperatingExpenses
LOSS FROM OPERATIONS	(1,878,905)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	(3,127,185)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	(5,693,844)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss	(6,939,928)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Other income (expense):
Interest income (expense), net	16us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet	239us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet	(31,859)us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet	673us-gaap_InterestIncomeExpenseNet
Other (expense) income, net	(6,693)us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	(79,389)us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	(13,135)us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense	76,028us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense
Loss on conversion of promissory notes			(980,842)apdn_LossOnConversionOfPromissoryNotes
Gain (loss) on change in fair value of warrant liability		455,899	(2,994,540)	(2,178,859)
Net loss before provision for income taxes	(1,885,582)	(2,750,436)	(9,714,220)	(9,042,086)
Provision for income taxes
NET LOSS	$ (1,885,582)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	$ (2,750,436)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	$ (9,714,220)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	$ (9,042,086)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Net loss per share-basic and diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (0.11)us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	$ (0.20)us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	$ (0.59)us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted	$ (0.68)us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasicAndDiluted
Weighted average shares outstanding-
Basic and diluted (in shares)	17,362,573	13,470,806	16,404,299	13,316,179

Represent income (loss) from change in fair value of warrant liability.

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Amount of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

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Generally recurring costs associated with normal operations except for the portion of these expenses which can be clearly related to production and included in cost of sales or services. Includes selling, general and administrative expense.

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The net amount of other income and expense amounts, the components of which are not separately disclosed on the income statement, resulting from ancillary business-related activities (that is, excluding major activities considered part of the normal operations of the business) also known as other nonoperating income (expense) recognized for the period. Such amounts may include: (a) dividends, (b) interest on securities, (c) net gains or losses on securities, (d) unusual costs, (e) gains or losses on foreign exchange transactions, and (f) miscellaneous other income and expense items.

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The aggregate costs incurred (1) in a planned search or critical investigation aimed at discovery of new knowledge with the hope that such knowledge will be useful in developing a new product or service, a new process or technique, or in bringing about a significant improvement to an existing product or process; or (2) to translate research findings or other knowledge into a plan or design for a new product or process or for a significant improvement to an existing product or process whether intended for sale or the entity's use, during the reporting period charged to research and development projects, including the costs of developing computer software up to the point in time of achieving technological feasibility, and costs allocated in accounting for a business combination to in-process projects deemed to have no alternative future use.

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Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

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The aggregate total costs related to selling a firm's product and services, as well as all other general and administrative expenses. Direct selling expenses (for example, credit, warranty, and advertising) are expenses that can be directly linked to the sale of specific products. Indirect selling expenses are expenses that cannot be directly linked to the sale of specific products, for example telephone expenses, Internet, and postal charges. General and administrative expenses include salaries of non-sales personnel, rent, utilities, communication, etc.

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Average number of shares or units issued and outstanding that are used in calculating basic and diluted earnings per share (EPS).

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