EXP-SA: Self Powered Explosives Sensors

本研究的目的是开发选择性的自供电传感器检测硝基芳香族炸药。 最近，圣刘易斯大学开发了一种利用线粒体催化丙酮酸氧化的生物燃料电池。有人建议修改这个生物燃料电池是一个自供电的传感器，用于检测爆炸物。线粒体功能（燃料的氧化）可以被寡霉素抑制，但这种抑制可以选择性地解偶联低浓度的硝基芳香族炸药。因此，一个自供电传感器，采用寡霉素处理的线粒体在丙酮酸动力生物燃料电池的阳极将被设计。在没有爆炸物的情况下，将不产生电力，但是在存在爆炸物的情况下，线粒体功能将被解偶联，并且当线粒体完全氧化自供电传感器的燃料隔室中的丙酮酸盐时，将产生电力。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。 这个研究项目也将有利于四名高中学生，每年谁将被邀请到实验室做研究的项目，帮助提高科学的兴趣，并制定一个更好地了解研究过程。

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.