finding anthrax in the field

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NEWS OF THE WEEK BIOHAZARD Anthrax spores are seen under phase contrast microscopy. BIOWEAPON DETECTION FINDING ANTHRAX IN THE FIELD Sensitive, portable Raman method detects deadly biological agent quickly Johnson F IRST RESPONDERS ARRIVING at the scene of a biological attack may soon have a new tool to help them distinguish be- tween deadly anthrax spores and innocuous white powder. A team at Northwestern University has developed a quick way to detect an anthrax biomarker using abattery-pow- ered, portable Ra- man spectrometer (J. Am. Chem. Soc, published online March8,http://dx. doi.org/10.1021/ja 043623b). Although there are a number of methods for identifying an- thrax, few lend themselves to use in thefield,according to chemistry professor Richard R Van Duyne, who spearheaded the effort. Most anthrax detection methods either can't be performed outside the lab- oratory take too long, or require a relatively large amount of anthrax spores. Van Duyne reports that the procedure developed in his lab takes only 11 minutes and is sensi- tive enougji to detect about 2,600 anthrax spores—about one-quar- ter the infectious dose of 10,000 spores. ic We are by no means at the end ofour development cycle," he adds. "I think we can easily go to a factor of 10 times more sensitive and 10 times faster." The anthrax detection proto- col developed by Van Duyne and graduate students Xiaoyu Zhang, Matthew A. Young, and Olga Lyandres uses surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to detect calcium dipicolonate, a compound found in the protec- tive layers of anthrax spores. SERS has been used to detect an- thrax in the past, Van Duyne notes, but by using a specialized substrate made of nanospheres coated with a silverfilm,his group was able to speed up SERS de- tection and increase its sensitiv- ity by a factor of 200. Van Duyne tells C&EN that the project's original goal was to study fundamental aspects of sur- face Raman scattering. "This is a perfect example of a basic re- search project that could provide a great deal of societal good," he says. —BETHANY HALF0RD ADMINISTRATION JOHNSON TAPPED TO LEAD EPA Bush nominates career employee for environment agency's top job P RESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH S March 4 nomination of longtime EPA employee Stephen L.Johnson to head the agency has met nearly universal praise. Johnson, 53, has served as act- ing administrator since Michael O. Leavitt left the post inJanuary to become secretary ofhealth and human services. Johnson was deputy administrator of EPA un- der Leavitt and assistant admin- istrator for prevention, pesticides, and toxic substances in the first term of the Bush Administration. Johnson, who has worked at the agency for 24 years, would be the first career EPA employee to lead the agency. This contrasts with the two sitting governors Bush picked to lead the agency in his first term: Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey and Leavitt of Utah. Congressional Republicans and environmental activists offered measured praise about Johnson's nomination, while chemical in- dustry representatives were more enthusiastic. Terry Ε %sie, American Chem- istry Council vice president for Responsible Care, callsJohnson a good listener who has the skills to forge a consensus among divided factions. "I think Steve is excep- tionally well qualified for this job," ^bsie says. He worked withJohn- son in the 1970s and '80s when Ifosie was staff director of EPA's Science Advisory Board andJohn- son was staff director of the agency's Science Advisory Panel, which addresses pesticide issues. "It will be great to see a scien- tist lead EPA," says James Coop- er, senior manager of government relations for the Synthetic Or- ganic Chemical Manufacturers Association. Johnson holds an un- dergraduate degree in biology from Taylor University and a mas- ter's of science in pathology from George Washington University. Cooper compliments Johnson's efforts to foster and facilitate vol- untary and collaborative part- nerships with industry The Senate must confirmjohn- son before he becomes adminis- trator.— CHERYLH0GUE 12 C&EN / MARCH U, 2005 HTTP://WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG

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NEWS OF THE WEEK

BIOHAZARD Anthrax spores are seen under phase contrast microscopy.

B I O W E A P O N D E T E C T I O N

FINDING ANTHRAX IN THE FIELD Sensitive, portable Raman method detects deadly biological agent quickly

Johnson

F IRST RESPONDERS ARRIVING at the scene of a biological attack may soon have a new

tool to help them distinguish be­tween deadly anthrax spores and innocuous white powder. A team at Northwestern University has

developed a quick way to detec t an anthrax biomarker using abattery-pow-ered, portable Ra­man spectrometer (J. Am. Chem. Soc, published online March8,http://dx. doi.org/10.1021/ja 043623b).

Although there are a number of methods for identifying an­thrax, few lend themselves to use in the field, according to chemistry professor Richard R Van Duyne, who spearheaded the effort. Most anthrax detection methods either can't be performed outside the lab­oratory take too long, or require a relatively large amount of anthrax spores.

Van Duyne reports that the procedure developed in his lab takes only 11 minutes and is sensi­tive enougji to detect about 2,600 anthrax spores—about one-quar­ter the infectious dose of 10,000 spores. icWe are by no means at the

end of our development cycle," he adds. "I think we can easily go to a factor of 10 times more sensitive and 10 times faster."

The anthrax detection proto­col developed by Van Duyne and graduate students Xiaoyu Zhang, Matthew A. Young, and Olga Lyandres uses surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to detect calcium dipicolonate, a compound found in the protec­tive layers of anthrax spores. SERS has been used to detect an­thrax in the past, Van Duyne notes, but by using a specialized substrate made of nanospheres coated with a silver film, his group was able to speed up SERS de­tection and increase its sensitiv­ity by a factor of 200.

Van Duyne tells C&EN that the project's original goal was to study fundamental aspects of sur­face Raman scattering. "This is a perfect example of a basic re­search project that could provide a great deal of societal good," he says. —BETHANY HALF0RD

A D M I N I S T R A T I O N

JOHNSON TAPPED TO LEAD EPA Bush nominates career employee for environment agency's top job

PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH S March 4 nomination of longtime EPA employee

Stephen L.Johnson to head the agency has met nearly universal praise.

Johnson, 53, has served as act­ing administrator since Michael O. Leavitt left the post in January to become secretary of health and human services. Johnson was deputy administrator of EPA un­der Leavitt and assistant admin­istrator for prevention, pesticides, and toxic substances in the first term of the Bush Administration.

Johnson, who has worked at

the agency for 24 years, would be the first career EPA employee to lead the agency. This contrasts with the two sitting governors Bush picked to lead the agency in his first term: Christine Todd Whi tman of New Jersey and Leavitt of Utah.

Congressional Republicans and environmental activists offered measured praise about Johnson's nomination, while chemical in­dustry representatives were more enthusiastic.

Terry Ε %sie, American Chem­istry Council vice president for Responsible Care, calls Johnson a

good listener who has the skills to forge a consensus among divided factions. "I think Steve is excep­tionally well qualified for this job," ^bsie says. He worked with John­son in the 1970s and '80s when Ifosie was staff director of EPA's Science Advisory Board and John-son was staff director of the agency's Science Advisory Panel, which addresses pesticide issues.

"It will be great to see a scien­tist lead EPA," says James Coop­er, senior manager of government relations for the Synthetic Or­ganic Chemical Manufacturers Association. Johnson holds an un-dergraduate degree in biology from Taylor University and a mas­ter's of science in pathology from George Washington University. Cooper compliments Johnson's efforts to foster and facilitate vol­untary and collaborative part­nerships with industry

The Senate must confirmjohn-son before he becomes adminis­trator.— CHERYLH0GUE

12 C&EN / MARCH U , 2005 H T T P : / / W W W . C E N - O N L I N E . O R G