The plant species detects explosives

Scientists have created a genetically modified plant that has the ability to change color when there are traces of explosives in the air, which in the future can be used to detect and prevent bomb dangers. mines in lands after the war.

According to the authors of the work published in June Medford and colleagues at Colorado University (USA), the denatured plants can determine the trotyl vapor (ie TNT) in air at concentrations below 25 parts per billion. By volume, it is more sensitive than the ability to sniff a dog up to 100 times.

The denatured plants can change the color of green to yellow leaves when explosive is detected.

From this concentration upwards, the color of the leaves will change from green to yellow for a few hours. For practical use, simply place the plant pot in the Trotyl atmosphere from a few seconds to a few minutes.

The tree selected for experimentation is tobacco. After altering the structure of the receptor on the cell surface, called the periplasma, the scientists made it possible to recognize the presence of Trotyl in air and change color.

The structural change of receptors is done by scientists through a special model on a computer. So they easily created plants that change color in the presence of certain chemicals, namely those that pollute water and air.

Medford, who led the study, told New Scientist: "One of the ways in which our invention can be applied is in the field of environmental control, and then security protection. Assembly '.

This study is published in the journal PLoS ONE.