EXP-SA: Self Powered Explosives Sensors

本研究旨在开发用于硝基芳香炸药检测的选择性自供电传感器。最近，圣路易斯大学开发了一种生物燃料电池，利用线粒体催化丙酮酸氧化。建议将这种生物燃料电池改造成一种自供电传感器，用于探测爆炸物。少霉素的存在可抑制线粒体功能（燃料氧化），但这种抑制作用可被低浓度的硝基芳香炸药选择性地解除。因此，将设计一种自供电传感器，该传感器在丙酮酸盐驱动的生物燃料电池的阳极处使用寡霉素处理的线粒体。在没有炸药的情况下，不会产生电能，但在有炸药的情况下，线粒体功能解耦，线粒体完全氧化自供电传感器燃料舱内的丙酮酸，从而产生电能。自供电传感器将消除更换传感器电池的需要，并允许更容易地引入无线传感器网络。这个研究项目也将使每年四名高中学生受益，他们将被邀请到实验室进行项目研究，帮助增加对科学的兴趣，并更好地理解研究过程。

This research is aimed at developing selective self-powered sensors for the detection of nitroaromatic explosives. Recently, Saint Louis University has developed a biofuel cell that employs mitochondria to catalyze pyruvate oxidation. It is proposed to modify this biofuel cell to be a self-powered sensor for detection of explosives. Mitochondrial function (oxidation of fuel) can be inhibited by the presence of oligomycin, but this inhibition can be selectively uncoupled by low concentrations of nitroaromatic explosives. Therefore, a self-powered sensor that employs oligomycin-treated mitochondria at the anode of a pyruvate powered biofuel cell will be designed. In the absence of explosive, there will be no power generated, but in the presence of explosive, the mitochondria function will be uncoupled and power will be produced as the mitochondria completely oxidize the pyruvate in the fuel compartment of the self-powered sensor. Self-powered sensors would eliminate the need for replacing batteries in sensors and allow for the easier introduction to wireless sensor networks. This research project will also benefit the four high school students each year who will be invited into the laboratory to do research on the project by helping to increase interest in science and develop a better understanding of the research process.