AUS researchers develop luminescent sensors to detect toxic compounds

• Sensors are stable and can be manufactured in large quantities, making them an efficient and practical solution for detecting CWAs.
• AUS Technology Transfer Office files for provisional patent for technology with the US Patent and Trademark Office.

A team of researchers at the American University of Sharjah (AUS) has developed luminescent sensors that can detect minute quantities of toxic compounds containing phosphorus, such as pesticides and Chemical Warfare Agents (CWAs).

The innovative technology surpasses the capabilities of existing solutions available in the market.

The new sensors have a wide range of applications, including military and defense for CWA detection, environmental monitoring to identify pesticide contamination in agricultural settings, industrial settings to track the presence of hazardous chemicals, emergency response to chemical spills or releases, public safety, and research and development.

The AUS Technology Transfer Office has filed a provisional patent for this technology with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

The project, funded by an AUS Faculty Research Grant, is led by Dr. Imad Abu-Yousef and Dr. Sofien Kanan, both professors in the Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Science.

“The sensors are designed to be highly sensitive and selective, capable of detecting even minute amounts of these toxic compounds within just 30 seconds. Unlike other sensors that rely on semiconducting metal oxides, these luminescent sensors operate at room temperature, eliminating the need for high-temperature conditions and vacuum systems,” Kanan said.

The researchers have tested the sensors with sarin simulants, and the results have been promising. The sensors are highly sensitive and selective, even in the presence of water and other interfering substances. Additionally, they are stable and can be manufactured in large quantities, making them an efficient and practical solution for detecting CWAs.

The research team has spent over 10 months in the research facilities of the Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, developing the synthesis strategies, characterising the sensors, and optimizing their sensitivity and selectivity through real-world testing with a CWA simulant.

The intensive work has resulted in a technology that can now be prepared within a week in the university’s laboratories, paving the way for its potential commercialiation and widespread adoption.