Biological & Chemical Warfare Agent Detection
1. Chemical Sensors
Research Group (CSRG) is working on
various types of chemical sensors. This web site, which is also available in CD
version, presents selected areas of our activity. Our intention was to gather some
texts, figures and tutorials on ion selective electrodes (ISE), ion sensitive
field effect transistors (ISFET) and fiber optic chemical sensors (abbreviated
as OPTO, however more common is FOCS). The figures and slides were created in
our group using results of experiments or drawings of the sensors. Sometimes
pictures (e.g. presenting equipment) were downloaded from the internet.
http://www.ch.pw.edu.pl/~dybko/csrg/index2_new.html
2. Sensing
chemical or biological warfare agents
The concentration of GM1 ganglioside can determine the number of
points of attachment between cholera toxin and the surface. The ability of GM1
to diffuse in this biomimetic membrane maximizes the interaction. Attachment at
multiple sites results in slower dissociation kinetics and higher apparent
affinity.
http://www.cstl.nist.gov/biotech/biomat/Projects/warfare.html
3. Biological warfare, bioterrorism, biodefence and the biological
and toxin weapons convention (Edgar
J. DaSilva)
Tissue-based
biosensors provide reliable alerts and assessments of human health risks in
counteracting bioterrorism and biowarfare. Comprised of multicellular
assemblies, and wide-ranging antibody templates, such sensors detect. and
predict physiological consequences arising from biological agents that have not
been fingerprinted nor identified at the molecular level. Alerts and
assessments are made through the use of reporting molecules that express
themselves through the phenomena of luminescence, fluorescence, etc. (Table 4 a,
b, c).
Biosensors, using
fibre optic or electrochemical devices, have been developed for detecting
micro-organisms in clinical, food technology, and military applications (King et al, 1999; Mulchandani et al,
1999). An immunosensor is used for the detection of Candida albicans
(Muramatsu et al,
1986). Bacillus anthracis, and bacteria in culture are detected by
optical sensors (Swenson,
1992). In addition, several systems have been developed in the USA to
detect biological weapons. Generic and polyvalent immunosensors have been
devised to detect biological agents that cause metabolic damage and whose
antigenic structure has been specifically genetically altered to avoid
detection by antibody-based detection systems. Other biodetection systems
functioning as early warning/alert systems involve the detection of biological
particle densities by laser eyes and electronic noses with incorporated alarms.
Emphasis in such systems is less on the identity of the biological agent, and
more on the early warning aspect which constitutes an effective arm in
counteracting the threat of bioterrorism in daily and routine peace time
environments (Schutz
et al, 1999).
Such electronic
noses result from a combination of neural informational networks with either
chemical or biological sensor arrays and miniaturised spectral meters. Compact,
automated and portable, electronic noses offer inexpensive on-the-spot
real-time analysis of toxic fuel and gas mixtures, and identification of toxic
wastes, household gas, air quality, and body odours (Wu, 1999).
The two quotes
above taken from a good paper on the subject as a whole at
http://www.ejb.org/content/vol2/issue3/full/2/
Edgar J. DaSilva e.dasilva@unesco.org
http://www.frost.com/verity/press/aerospace_defense/pr725916.htm
5.
BIOAGENT CHIP A sensor to detect a biological warfare attack in seconds
http://www.sciam.com/2000/0300issue/0300techbus4.html
6.
Catching the bug before it kills
http://www.zdnet.com/enterprise/stories/main/0,10228,2671596,00.html
7.
Advanced Materials and Optical Systems for Chemical and Biological Detection
http://www.spie.org/web/meetings/programs/pe99/confs/3858.html
Companies researching and developing
biological and chemical agent detection technologies:
Computing Devices Canada, Ltd. (CDC);
Dycor Industrial Research, Ltd.
· Electro-Optics Organization (EOO), Inc.
BIOLOGICAL AGENT SENSOR As became clear during and
after the Gulf War, chemical and biological (chem/bio) weapons are a great
threat to both civilians and armed forces.
info@eooinc.com
· Environmental Technologies Group, Inc. (ETG);
The BD is an automatic biological agent detector
developed for U.S. Army Chemical and Biological Defense
Command. The system is currently in production and is a key component of P3I Biological
Integrated Detection
System (BIDS).
Marketing@EnvTech.com
Graseby
Dynamics have extended their expertise into the biological agent detection
market. Graseby Dynamics, with Hunting Engineering, EDS and DERA, have won two
contracts with the UK MoD for a prototype and integrated biological detection
system (PBDS and IBDS).
general@grasebydynamics.com
Nanomaterials Research Corporation;
· Scientific Instrumentation, Ltd.
CADS II is an advanced, field portable, chemical
agent
warfare detection system developed for the CF to
remotely detect and identify chemical warfare agents.
s.i.l@sil.sk.ca
Syagen has
developed the most advanced, easy-to-operate detection systems for
counterterrorism (chemical agents and explosives) and other applications
requiring real-time, ultrasensitive chemical analysis of complex mixtures.
Syagen's flagship detection system employs an autosampler and a photoionization
(PI) source that enables reliable detection of targeted compounds in
potentially complex mixtures (figure).
info@syagen.com
Universal Sensors, Incorporated and Viking Instruments Corporation.