| Abstract: | A "real time" method for detecting chemical agents generally and
particularly electrophilic and nucleophilic species by employing tunable,
precursor sensor materials that mimic the physiological interaction of
these agents to form highly florescent berberine-type alkaloids that can
be easily and rapidly detected. These novel precursor sensor materials
can be tuned for reaction with both electrophilic (chemical species,
toxins) and nucleophilic (proteins and other biological molecules)
species. By bonding or otherwise attaching these precursor molecules to a
surface or substrate they can be used in numerous applications. |