Nucleic acid-labeled tags associated with odorant
AssigneeSRC, Inc.
InventorMary F. Swartz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A nucleic acid tag comprising a nucleotide-support platform attached to a nucleic acid molecule, an odorant, and an encapsulant. Unique nucleic acid-containing tags containing an odorant are seeded at one or more geographic locations. Using odorant-detection systems, the person or object of interest is examined for the presence of one or more of the odorant, thereby revealing the presence of the seeded nucleic acids and eliminating the expense and time associated with unnecessary screening. The geographic location associated with each detected nucleic acid is used to backtrack the item's path or extrapolate a probable point of origin.
Claims8
A method for determining whether an item has moved through a geographic location, the method comprising:
- seeding the geographic location with a nucleic acid tag comprising:
- an agglomerated plurality of nanoparticle nucleotide-support platforms each attached to a plurality of nucleic acid molecules, each of said nucleic acid molecules comprising identifying information, wherein a spacer is located between said nanoparticle nucleotide-support platform and said identifying information;
- an odorant;
- and an encapsulant surrounding said agglomerated plurality of nanoparticle nucleotide-support platforms and said plurality of nucleic acid molecules;
- and
- screening the item for the presence of the nucleic acid tag.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.