Catalytic Production of Biomakers From Biological Materials
OwnerCalvin H. Bartholomew, Zhijun Jia +4inventors
InventorsCalvin H. Bartholomew, Zhijun Jia, Phillip R. Smith, Aaron Nicholas Nackos, Milton L. Lee, Edgar D. Lee
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for detecting a biological material, such as bacterial spores (e.g. Anthrax) which reacts non-volatile biomarker precursors to volatile precursors by heating the biological material in the presence of a catalyst.
Claims34
A method for identifying biological material containing volatile and/or non-volatile biomarker precursors, the method comprising:
- contacting the biological material with a catalyst;
- heating to a catalytic temperature to form volatile biomarkers;
- detecting and identifying the biomarkers.
A method for identifying biological material containing non-volatile and volatile biomarker precursors, the method comprising:
- contacting in liquid phase the biological material with a super acid catalyst;
- heating to a catalytic temperature to methylate the non-volatile biomarker precursors to form methylated-ester biomarkers;
- detecting and identifying the methylated-ester biomarkers.
A method for identifying biological material containing non-volatile biomarker precursors, the method comprising:
- contacting in gas phase the biological material with a solid metal decomposition catalyst;
- heating to a catalytic temperature to degrade non-volatile biomarker precursors to form volatile degradation products;
- detecting and identifying the volatile degradation products.
An apparatus for identifying biological material containing non-volatile and volatile biomarker precursors, the apparatus comprising:
- a reaction zone with a catalyst constructed and configured for contacting the biological material with the catalyst and heating the biological material to a catalytic temperature to form volatile biomarkers;
- collection for collecting the biomarkers for detection and identification.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.