Portable Chemical Sensors

Book excerpt: Biosensors are making a large impact in environmental, food, biomedical, and other applications. In comparison to standard analytical detection methods, such as minimal sample preparation and handling, they offer advantages including real time detection, rapid detection of the analytes of concern, use of non-skilled personnel, and portability. The aim of this book is to focus on research related to the rapid detection of agents and weapons of bioterrorism and provide a comprehensive review of the research topics most pertinent to advancing devices applicable to the rapid real-time detection of toxicants such as microbes, pathogens, toxins, or nerve gases. The ongoing war on terrorism and the rising security concerns are driving the need for newer faster biosensors against bio-warfare agents for both military and civil defence applications. The volume brings together contributions from the most eminent international researchers in the field, covering various aspects of work not so far published in any scientific journal and often going beyond the “state of art “ . Readers of these review articles will learn new technological schemes that can lead to the construction of devices that will minimize the risk of bio-terrorism.