Biocatalytic air monitor for detection of nerve agents

描述（由申请人提供）：第二阶段 SBIR 提案描述了用于监测空气中多种危险化学品存在的原型设备的开发。该设备与典型的光谱仪器有根本的不同，因为它使用酶基塑料作为传感元件。第一阶段表明，当适当地适应简单的设备时，酶塑料可以用于连续监测环境。 Agentase 将调整其经过验证的基于酶的化学物质，用于神经、血液和起泡剂检测，使其与拟议的第二阶段工作中的连续监测相兼容。在优化各个传感器对试剂的敏感性和响应时间后，将进行一系列实验，以确保传感器具有足够的保质期、使用寿命和抗环境干扰能力。还将构建定制硬件来容纳传感器并确保其正确实施。该工作计划最后进行了一系列操作评估，这些评估在用于战争级化学制剂研究之前作为产品可行性的真实测试。这项工作的成功完成将为监测空气质量是否存在危险化学品提供一种廉价的工具。一旦经过强化和验证，这样的设备就可以用来警告化学恐怖主义事件。及早检测释放的化学品是最大限度地减少化学品事件对现场影响并确保最佳医疗和应急响应的关键。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Phase II SBIR proposal describes the development of a prototype device for monitoring the presence of a number of hazardous chemicals in the air. This device is fundamentally different than typical spectroscopic instruments in that it uses enzyme-based plastics as sensing elements. Phase I showed that enzymatic plastics can be employed to continuously monitor the environment when properly adapted to a simple device. Agentase will adapt its proven enzyme-based chemistries for nerve, blood, and blister agent detection into forms that are compatible with continuous monitoring in the proposed Phase II effort. After optimizing individual sensors for sensitivity to agents and response time, a battery of experiments will be conducted to ensure that sensors have sufficient shelf life, operational lifetimes, and resistance to environmental interference. Custom built hardware will also be constructed to house the sensors and ensure their proper implementation. The work plan concludes with a series of operational assessments that serve as a true test of product feasibility prior to use in studies with warfare grade chemical agents. Successful completion of the effort will provide an inexpensive tool for monitoring air quality for the presence of hazardous chemicals. Once hardened and validated, such a device can be used to warn against an event of chemical terrorism. Early detection of released chemicals is the key to minimizing the impact of a chemical event on site and ensuring the best possible medical and emergency responses.