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Our goal is to develop a new generation of nanostructured and universal high-performance detectors for nanoscale analysis and detection of chemical residues and contaminants in foods. There are two specific objectives in this project: <OL> <LI> Development of whispering-gallery mode microsensors and instrumentation; <LI> Experimental test in analysis of model analytes. </ol>The project will improve understanding nanoscale recognition, reception, and transmission mechanisms for developing nanobased optical sensors specifically for targets important to food safety and agriculture biosecurity. A proof-of-concept demonstration will lead to the development of a universal and extremely sensitive detector for the analysis of certain residues without using any labels such as radioactive or fluorescent tags.
NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: To enhance protection of public health, a pressing demand is the development of novel sensors capable of nanoscale recognition specifically for targets important to food safety and agriculture biosecurity. The goal of this project is to develop a new generation of nanostructured and universal high-performance detector for analysis of very small amounts of veterinary drug and pesticide residues, and contaminants in foods. A lab-based instrument will be built to perform proof-of-concept experimental tests.
<P>APPROACH: The proposed detectors employ an innovative whispering-gallery mode optical frequency sensing technique for realization of ultra-high sensitivity, and rely upon sample preparation and separation to achieve high selectivity. Another distinct feature is universal detection that responds to compounds separated by chromatography or capillary electrophoresis without use of tags and markers and therefore label-free detection. The optical sensor is manufacturable. The rapid advances in modern micro/nanofabrication techniques have made it feasible to fabricate optical cavities at the micro/nano scales and to integrate the sensor with other separation techniques such as capillary electrophoresis. The sensing method uses only minute amount of reagents and solvents. Hence, the direct cost and the disposal cost are minimized, and waste is reduced, providing friendly protocols to both bench workers and the environment. Due to the small size and minimal solvent/reagent usage, the system is highly portable, providing a means to deploy to remote locations to respond to unexpected situations.