by Joe Caspermeyer
The thwarted 2006 London airline bomb plot heightened summer travel fears and created new passenger screening inconveniences. It also underscored the urgent need for improved national security measures.
Researchers at Arizona State University’s Biodesign Institute are on the job. Joe Wang directs the Institute’s Center for Biosensors and Bioelectronics. He and his colleagues have developed a highly sensitive technology that can rapidly detect liquid peroxide explosives in as little as 15 seconds.
“Previously, there have been no effective sensing technologies that can detect these compounds in a rapid and sensitive manner,” Wang says. “This is an important first step in trying to stay ahead of the terrorists. They are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their methods.”
Terrorists have turned away from high-grade commercial explosives. They now often use improvised, homemade explosives made from off-the-shelf products. Such devices were used in the Madrid and London train bombings of 2004 and 2005.
Ironically, it was Wang’s research to benefit diabetes management and improve human health that led to his breakthrough in explosives detection.
The ASU scientist has more than 20 years experience in designing tiny sensors for commercial products to aid diabetics. The detection technology relies on an enzymatic test where blood glucose is converted to a hydrogen peroxide byproduct. That byproduct is then measured by an electrochemical sensor.
“Our vision was to make something like a hand-held glucose meter. But we will use it to screen for and detect peroxide explosives,” Wang says.
Triacetone triperoxide (TATP) and hexamethylene triperoxide diamine (HMTD) are the two most common peroxide-based explosives. Wang’s group developed a highly sensitive assay that can rapidly detect these compounds in trace amounts down to the part per billion level.
The technique is safe. The explosives are irradiated with ultraviolet (UV) light, converting the TATP and HMTD into hydrogen peroxide. While the UV lamp system provides results in five minutes, the higher intensity laser irradiation reduces the time to 15 seconds.
“We can get very fast detection. Now the goal is to integrate this into a high-performance, portable self-contained, easy-to-use device,” Wang adds.
Wang is working with Arizona Technology Enterprises (AzTE) -- ASU’s commercialization arm. They want to engage government and commercial partners to further develop the technology.