Carbon Nanotube Sensor Array for Sensitive Detection of Mercury Poisoning

描述（由申请人提供）：汞（Hg）由于其毒性和通过食物链的生物积累而被认为对人类健康具有严重影响。汞暴露水平升高可影响人体的肝脏、肾脏、心血管、胃肠道和神经系统。无机汞（Hg2+）可引起慢性肾脏疾病（CKD）和肾衰竭。甲基汞（CH3Hg+）是汞的一种有机形式，对生命系统具有剧毒。CH3Hg+会导致神经系统损伤，导致协调性问题、麻木和视力障碍。CH3Hg+中毒导致的死亡通常发生在首次症状出现后2-4天。因此，检测CH3Hg+和Hg2+离子对人体健康具有重要意义。目前，还没有一种简单的护理点（POC）系统来检测这些毒素。为了满足这一需求，InnoSense LLC （ISL）旨在开发一种基于碳纳米管的MerSense”检测方法，用于具有高灵敏度和选择性的高成本效益的POC检测CH3Hg+和Hg2+离子。一期项目的目的是建立MerSense传感器阵列可以准确检测人工尿液样本中的CH3Hg+和Hg2+离子。在第一阶段，ISL将制造和测试MerSense传感器阵列，用于检测人工尿液中微量CH3Hg+和Hg2+ (d2 ppb)的水平。ISL还将评估MerSense的性能，并演示其灵敏度、选择性、准确性、可靠性、可重复性和实时传感能力。ISL的MerSense的成功开发及其在汞检测方面的增强性能将具有广泛的社会经济效益：(1)为改善诊所、医院、私人诊所设施和实验室的病人护理提供一种简单且具有成本效益的POC测试，(2)为制药和生物技术药物发现和临床试验研究提供一种配套诊断工具，(3)为科学界提供一种新的研究工具，(4)对尾矿池和采矿业径流中有毒汞污染进行具有成本效益的分析，(5)由州和联邦机构测试和监测饮用水质量，(6)在食物（空气、水和土壤）迁移点以及金属加工、化学制造和电子工业中痕量汞的检测。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Mercury (Hg) has been recognized as having serious impacts on human health due to its toxicity and bioaccumulation via the food chain. Elevated exposure to Hg can affect the liver, kidneys, and cardiovascular, gastro-intestinal, and neurological systems of the human body. Inorganic Hg (Hg2+) can cause chronic kidney disease (CKD) and kidney failure. Methylmercury (CH3Hg+), an organic form of Hg, is highly toxic to living systems. CH3Hg+ causes nervous system damage leading to problems with coordination, numbness, and visual impairment. Death from CH3Hg+ poisoning usually occurs 2-4 days after the first symptoms occur. Therefore, detecting CH3Hg+ and Hg2+ ions is highly important to human health. Currently, there is no simple, point of care (POC) system for detecting these toxins. To meet this need, InnoSense LLC (ISL) aims to develop a carbon nanotube-based MerSense" assay for cost-effective, POC detection of CH3Hg+ and Hg2+ ions with high sensitivity and selectivity. The purpose of the Phase I project is to establish that a MerSense sensor array can accurately detect CH3Hg+ and Hg2+ ions in artificial urine samples. In Phase I, ISL will fabricate and test the MerSense sensor array for detecting trace levels of CH3Hg+ and Hg2+ (d2 ppb) in artificial urine. ISL will also evaluate MerSense performance and demonstrate the sensitivity, selectivity, accuracy, reliability, reproducibility, and real-time sensing capability. Successful development of ISL's MerSense and demonstration of its enhanced performance for Hg detection will have widespread socioeconomic benefits: (1) a simple and cost-effective POC test for improved patient care in clinics, hospitals, private-practice facilities and laboratories, (2) a companion diagnostic tool for pharma and biotech drug discovery and clinical trial research, (3) a new research tool for the scientific community, (4) cost-effective analysis of tailing ponds and run-off in the mining industry for toxic Hg contamination, (5) testing and monitoring drinking water quality by State and Federal agencies, and humanitarian organizations, and (6) trace level detection of Hg at the point of migration to food (air, water and soil) as well as in metal processing, chemical manufacturing and electronics industries.