title: An automated front-end monitor for anthrax surveillance systems based on the rapid detection of airborne endospores.
abstract: A fully automated anthrax smoke detector (ASD) has been developed and tested. The ASD is intended to serve as a cost effective front-end monitor for anthrax surveillance systems. The principle of operation is based on measuring airborne endospore concentrations, where a sharp concentration increase signals an anthrax attack. The ASD features an air sampler, a thermal lysis unit, a syringe pump, a time-gated spectrometer, and endospore detection chemistry comprised of dipicolinic acid (DPA)-triggered terbium ion (Tb(3+)) luminescence. Anthrax attacks were simulated using aerosolized Bacillus atrophaeus spores in fumed silica, and corresponding Tb-DPA intensities were monitored as a function of time and correlated to the number of airborne endospores collected. A concentration dependence of 10(2)-10(6) spores/mg of fumed silica yielded a dynamic range of 4 orders of magnitude and a limit of detection of 16 spores/L when 250 L of air were sampled. Simulated attacks were detected in less than 15 min.
authors.affiliation: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA.
authors.forename: Pun To
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Yung
authors.forename: Elizabeth D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Lester
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bearman
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ponce
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D001408:Bacillus anthracis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013171:Spores, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants