Exploring PFpP organometallic nanoparticles for sensing technology

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Environmental Bio-Detection Products Inc. (EBPI) in Mississauga is developing sensing techniques for monitoring of a range of environmental contaminants. In order to develop low cost, but highly sensitive and robust sensing devices, techniques to collect analytes effectively and concentrate to sufficient levels to allow detection down to the ug/L range are crucial and remain a significant challenge. Aqueous colloids assembled from metal carbonyl organometallic polymers, PFpP, possess large surface areas per unit mass and offer the promise to serve as ideal materials for sample/analyte collection if their surface can be successfully decorated with analyte binding groups. A second step will require the concentration of these particles containing the bound analytes from a range of complex environmental matricies, e.g. natural waters. This concentration step will be necessary to allow for the detection of the concentrated analytes at environmentally meaningful levels. To address EBPI's specific problems, involving analyte collection and concentration, the PFpP colloids will be decorated with mamaleimide groups. This will in turn allow RNA aptamers to be tethered via thiol-maleimide reactions to the MC colloids. The tethered aptamers are able to complementary bind to specific DNA for target detection. In addition, by taking advantage of the hollow structure of the MC colloids, magnetic nanoparticles will be encapsulated within them. The resultant hybrid particles, after collecting analyses, can be concentrated using magnetic forces allowing for high detection of specific target analytes at environmentally meaningful concentrations (ng to ug/L levels) . Dr. Don Lush with a background in environmental biology, and Dr. Aaron Witham with a background in molecular chemistry, employees of EBPI will participate in directing the research toward rapid initial product commercialization.