ABSTRACT
Dangers to homeland security are posed by explosives and biothreat agents. Explosives considered are TNT, tetryl, picric acid and RDX. Among the biothreat agents, anthrax spores; plague, Francisella Tularensis and Brucellosis bacterium; small pox and Ebola viruses; and ricin, SEB toxin and aflatoxin require speedy, accurate detection. Eight types of nanosensors for TNT, two types for TNT/Tetryl, five types for picric acid and four for RDX/other explosives are described. Two types of nanosensors for anthrax spores, one for plague bacterium, two types for Francisella Tularensis bacterium, three types for Brucella, one type for Variola virus, three types for Ebola virus; and three types each for ricin, SEB and aflatoxin are pondered over. These nanosensors include a miscellany from several categories including devices based on colorimetry, luminescence in various forms (photoluminescence/fluorescence/electroluminescence), fluorescence intensity quenching by Meisenheimer complex formation, surface plasmon resonance, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, Raman spectroscopy, and electrochemical phenomena.
