Tuesday, January 29, 2008

DNA, a nose for explosives?

"Solid-State, Dye-Labeled DNA Detects Volatile Compounds in the Vapor Phase" is the title of a paper out of Tufts University.

The technology attached a fluorescent dye to a strand of DNA. Different vapours are passed over the DNA changing the dye's fluorescence. In the experiments one of the chemicals successfully detected by the DNA "nose" was toluene.

Source: As cited.

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