New technology detects chemical weapons in seconds

New sensors to detect chemicals and illegal drugs for crime and terrorism are being developed by scientists at the University of Belfast in Queen.

The equipment will use special adhesive pads to pat a person or crime scene to collect samples. This sample is then analyzed by means of a scanning device that can detect chemicals in seconds. This allows for faster, better identification of timely response to terrorist threats.

Mix the sample with silver nanoparticles.

The scanning equipment uses Raman spectroscopy to project the laser into a suspect sample and measure the light energy dispersed from the sample to determine its chemical compound. The scanner is very sensitive to the measurement of microscopic particles for faster and more accurate results.

Typically, this kind of spectrum is not sensitive enough to detect low concentration of chemicals, so the sample is mixed with silver nanoparticles to amplify the compound's signals, even traces The smallest was also discovered.

Lead researcher Steven Bell said that although they were still in the middle of the project, the scientists completed many of the initial work and moved on to an exciting phase that was to sort the segments together. create integrated sensors. In the future, scientists hope to be able to leverage research and expand the types of chemicals and drugs sensing devices can detect.

Scientists also hope the new sensor will be the basic step in developing a device like a breath alcohol measuring device to test the amount of drug use.

Currently, the police can only use the impairment test to judge whether a person is driving under the influence of drugs. The accuracy of this method is still being questioned because of the fear that it is vulnerable.

In the future, new technology will continue to have important applications. According to Dr. Bell, many areas, from medical diagnosis to environmental testing, will require simple empirical testing to detect traces of important indicators.