Potential gradient amplified detection of chemical agents
AssigneeThe Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
InventorsPaul V. Braun, Mohammad Amdad Ali
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Abstract
New approaches for selective detection of chemical agents such as sarin are necessary because of the high toxicity of sarin and related compounds, the potential of these compounds to be used as weapons of mass destruction, and the limitations of current detection methodologies. Herein is described an apparatus and a method for selective and amplified detection of sarin simulants deposited via an aerosol process. The simulant absorbs into a hydrogel, where it hydrolyzes upon contact with water producing elemental ions. The elemental ions are then concentrated via an ionic chemical potential gradient to a sensor, where it is detected. This technique has potential to amplify the capture efficiency of a sensor by a 1000-fold within couple of minutes.
Claims20
A polymer gel for detection of elemental ions comprising:
- a) a polymer gel having a chemical potential gradient that can concentrate elemental ions by enthalpy driven transport;
- and
- b) a plurality of functional groups, wherein the polymer gel is covalently bonded to the functional groups that provide the chemical potential gradient that transports the elemental ions to a region where the elemental ions are concentrated;
- wherein the polymer gel comprises a catalyst or an enzyme dispersed in the polymer gel, and the polymer gel is configured so that when an analyte is in contact with the polymer gel the analyte will dissociate into molecular ions and elemental ions, and the elemental ions will be transported by the chemical potential gradient formed by the functional groups to the region where the elemental ions are concentrated.
An autonomic ion detector comprising:
- a) a polymer gel having at least one chemical potential gradient that can concentrate elemental ions by enthalpy driven transport, wherein the elemental ions are halide ions, hydrogen ions, or a combination thereof;
- b) a catalyst dispersed in the polymer gel to catalyze the dissociation of a sample into elemental ions and molecular ions;
- c) a plurality functional groups comprising a quaternary amine moiety, a sulfate moiety, a nitrate moiety, a tertiary amine moiety, a borate moiety, or a combination thereof;
- wherein the polymer gel is covalently bonded to the functional groups that provide the chemical potential gradient that transports the elemental ions to a region where the ions are concentrated;
- and
- d) an electrode to detect elemental ions at the region where the elemental ions are concentrated;
- wherein the polymer gel is configured so that when a sample is in contact with it the sample will dissociate into molecular ions and elemental ions, and the elemental ions will be transported by the chemical potential gradient formed by the functional groups to the region where the elemental ions are concentrated, where they are also detected.
A method of detecting elemental ions comprising:
- a) contacting a sample with a polymer gel having at least one chemical potential gradient that can concentrate elemental ions by enthalpy driven transport;
- wherein the polymer gel is covalently bonded to a plurality of functional groups that provide the chemical potential gradient that transports the elemental ions to a region where the elemental ions are concentrated;
- and
- b) detecting the concentration of elemental ions with an electrode at the region where the elemental ions are concentrated;
- wherein the sample comprises one analyte, or two or more different analytes that are dissociated by contacting the polymer gel into molecular ions and elemental ions, and the elemental ions are transported by the chemical potential gradient formed by the functional groups to the region where the elemental ions are concentrated and detected.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.