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Detection of proteinous toxins using the Bio-Threat Alert system, part 3: effects of heat pretreatment and interfering substances

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Abstract

We previously reported that the Guardian Bio-Threat Alert (BTA) system could detect (detection limit: about 0.1 μg/ml) staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), botulinum toxins (BTX) A and B, and ricin, with no interference by white-powdered materials or colored matrices. In this study, the capability of the BTA system was further assessed. With 10 min of preheating at 60°C, all toxins could be detected, but with preheating at 80°C, BTX A and B and ricin became undetectable. About 20% SEB could be detected after heating at 80°C, but this detection ability was completely removed after heating at 100°C. The effects of chemicals usually used for decontamination, such as sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, formaldehyde, and sodium nitrite, on the detectability of SEB, BTX A, or ricin in the BTA system were also tested. The concentrations giving 50% line intensity for SEB, BTX A, and ricin were 3.1, 11, and 15 μM for sodium hypochlorite and 88, 210, and 60 mM for formaldehyde, respectively. The addition of hydrogen peroxide or sodium nitrite did not decrease the detectability even when used at high concentrations.

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Author notes

  1. Yasuhiro Sano, Shigeharu Yamashiro, Hisashi Maruko, Hiroshi Sekiguchi, Yasuo Takayama & Ryoji Sekioka

    Present address: Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, Tokyo, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Research Institute of Police Science, 6-3-1 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-0882, Japan

    Yasuhiro Sano, Shigeharu Yamashiro, Asuka Komano, Hisashi Maruko, Hiroshi Sekiguchi, Yasuo Takayama, Ryoji Sekioka, Kouichiro Tsuge, Isaac Ohsawa, Mieko Kanamori-Kataoka & Yasuo Seto

  2. Teikoku Sen-i Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan

    Akiyoshi Satoh

Authors
  1. Yasuhiro Sano
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  2. Shigeharu Yamashiro
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  3. Asuka Komano
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  4. Hisashi Maruko
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  5. Hiroshi Sekiguchi
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  6. Yasuo Takayama
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  7. Ryoji Sekioka
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  8. Kouichiro Tsuge
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  9. Isaac Ohsawa
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  10. Mieko Kanamori-Kataoka
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  11. Yasuo Seto
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  12. Akiyoshi Satoh
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Correspondence to Yasuo Seto.

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Sano, Y., Yamashiro, S., Komano, A. et al. Detection of proteinous toxins using the Bio-Threat Alert system, part 3: effects of heat pretreatment and interfering substances. Forensic Toxicol 25, 76–79 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11419-007-0029-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11419-007-0029-3

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