Bio- and biomimetic sensors for the detection of explosives

从国家安全和法医学的角度来看，少量爆炸性物质的检测是一个重要的问题。已经研制出各种探测爆炸物的方法。不幸的是，其中最敏感的是相对较慢，并且需要的仪器过于复杂和昂贵，无法在现场使用。还应该注意，为了减少误报的数量，引入几种“正交”（即利用不同的物理，化学或生物原理）检测技术的系统将是有益的。因此，显然有必要继续发展新的爆炸物探测方法，最终目标是使它们更快、更便宜、更敏感和更可靠。我们建议探索两种相互关联的方法来发展爆炸物传感器。在第一种方法中，使用天然光合反应中心；在第二种方法中，我们将利用这些反应中心的人工模拟。这两种方法都是基于炸药影响电子传递过程的复合物纳入电路。虽然高分辨率光学/光谱方法（包括低温下的方法）将用于确定爆炸物/传感器相互作用的细节，并优化传感器的设计，但最终的检测方案将是电化学的，将在室温下工作，不依赖于复杂的仪器。支持组织及其合作伙伴实施这种传感器，将为加拿大及其盟国带来经济和安全方面的好处。该项目的灵感来自于最近基于光合作用反应中心的廉价而敏感的除草剂生物传感器的发展，以及氮炸药的化学结构和性质与这种生物传感器检测到的除草剂相似的事实。

The detection of small amounts of explosive materials is an important issue from the viewpoint of nationalsecurity and forensic science. Various methods for explosives detection have been developed. Unfortunately,the most sensitive of them are relatively slow and require instrumentation which is too complex and expensivefor use in the field. One should also note that for the purpose of reducing the number of the false alarms, itwould be beneficial to introduce systems with several "orthogonal" (i.e. utilizing different physical, chemical orbiological principles) detection technologies. Thus, there is an apparent need to continue developing newmethods of explosives detection, with the final goal of making them faster, less expensive, more sensitive andmore reliable.We propose exploring two interrelated approaches for the development of explosives' sensors. In the firstapproach, natural photosynthetic reaction centers are employed; in the second approach we will utilize theartificial mimics of these reaction centers. Both approaches are based on explosives affecting the electrontransfer processes in the complexes incorporated into electrical circuits. While high-resolution optical /spectroscopic methods (including those at low temperatures) will be used to determine the details ofexplosives/sensor interactions and to optimize the design of the sensors, the final detection scheme that will beelectrochemical in nature, will operate at room temperature and will not rely on complex instrumentation.The implementation of such sensors by the supporting organizations and their partners promises botheconomical and safety-related benefits to Canada and its allies.The project is inspired by recent progress in the development of inexpensive and sensitive herbicide biosensorsbased on photosynthetic reaction centers, and by the fact that the chemical structure and properties of nitricexplosives are similar to those of herbicides detectable by such biosensors.