SST: Ricin Quantification in Aqueous Media

Pennsylvania State Univ University Park, University Park PA

Investigators

Abstract

0426170 Grimes This research is specifically aimed at developing a highly sensitive, specific ricin sensor platform which, with the intellectual foundation in place, can be readily extended to enable simultaneous identification of multiple biotoxins or pathogens in aqueous media (e.g. water, blood, serum). Also, the sensor platform is designed to be of relatively low cost enabling practical implementation of the resulting sensor technology. The fundamental and critical questions to be answered by this research are, can mass sensitive magnetoelastic sensors be modified to permit the quantification of protein biotoxins, and can these devices be packaged into a small hand-held sensor to aid in the rapid quantification of ricin concentrations? To answer these questions the following specific aims are proposed: (1) investigate, on a fundamental level, the binding of the ricin biotoxin to polymer thin films modified with biorecognition molecules (antibodies or GSLs). In preliminary work the investigators have accomplished this for both ricin and E. coli O157:H7. Here they will identify antibodies or GSLs which the model biotoxin (ricin) will bind, then immobilize these recognition molecules on the surface of poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels or self-assembled monolayers, and study the binding of the model biotoxins to these modified surfaces, (2) develop techniques for patterning these biomolecule-modified polymer gels on magnetoelastic substrates and study the changes in resonance frequency induced in the magnetoelastic material by binding of the model toxins onto the sensor surface, and (3) integrate the recognition molecule-modified magnetoelastic sensors and appropriate electronics into a hand-held device that can be readily used to monitor biotoxin content in collected fluid samples within a disposable cartridge. While efforts in this proposal are strictly focused on ricin, the resulting sensor technology could be adaptable to other toxins.