Intelligent electro-optical nucleic acid-based sensor array and method for detecting volatile compounds in ambient air

• US 7,062,385 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2002
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tufts University
• Original Assignee: Tufts University
• Inventors: White, Joel E., Kauer, John S.
• Primary Examiner(s): BORIN, MICHAEL L
• Application Number:
  US10/303,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20040101851A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,296 Days
• Field of Search: 436/172, 422/82.06, 422/82.08, 702/23, 73/311, 73/232
• US Class Current: 702/23
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/68 involving nucleic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6825 Nucleic acid detection involving sensors
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2563/107 fluorescence
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2565/501 being an array of oligonucleotides
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2565/607 being a sensor, e.g. electrode
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0031 comprising two or more sensors, e.g. a sensor array electrochemical electrode arrays G01N27/27
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0034 comprising neural networks or related mathematical techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0047 for organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0057 for warfare agents or explosives properties of explosives G01N33/227
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/186 Sulfur dioxide

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to nucleic acid-based sensors and methods for detecting volatile analytes. More particularly, this invention relates to nucleic acid-based optical sensors, sensor arrays, sensing systems and sensing methods for intelligent sensing and detection of unknown materials by way of real-time feedback and control of sampling conditions.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a volatile compound in an air sample comprising the steps of:

a) contacting said air sample with a nucleic acid/fluorophore-based sensor array comprising;

i) a substrate; and

ii) a nucleic acid attached to a fluorophore dispersed on said substrate,

wherein said nucleic acid is dried onto the substrate, and wherein said nucleic acid is attached to a fluorophore providing a characteristic optical response when subjected to excitation light energy in the presence of a volatile compound in the air sample; and

b) detecting the presence or absence of said volatile compound in the air sample.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said nucleic acid attached to a fluorophore is dispersed on a plurality of internal and external surfaces within said substrate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said contacting further comprises drawing an air sample believed to contain said volatile compound into a sample chamber and exposing said nucleic acid/fluorophore based sensor array to said air sample.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting further comprises:

a) illuminating said nucleic acid/fluorophore based senor array with excitation light energy; and

b) measuring an optical response produced by said nucleic acid/fluorophore based sensor array due to the presence of said volatile compound with a detector means.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising identifying said volatile compound by employing a pattern-matching algorithm;

and comparing said optical response of said nucleic acid/fluorophore based senor array with said characteristic optical response.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising identifying said volatile compound by providing spatio-temporal response patterns of said optical response;

and recognizing said patterns through a method selected from the group consisting of a template matching, neural networks, delay line neural networks, and statistical analysis.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the air sample is suspected of containing explosive materials.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the air sample is suspected of containing a chemical weapons agent.