Patent ID: 6524846
Filing Date: 2003-02-25
Classification: C12Q,Y10T

Abstract:
An anti-terrorist system, intended to prevent the transmission of live bacterial biological agents including Bacillus antracis, i.e. anthrax, and the toxins produced by said agents through the mail and to assist in the detection and identification of specific pieces of mail containing bacterial biological agents including Bacillus antracis, said system comprising:at least one bacterial biological agent/toxin indicator mounted upon a wall of a mailing enclosure adapted for use in mailing materials; said bacterial biological agent/toxin indicator possessing an appropriately porous substrate coated with an acidic acid-base solution which changes color in reaction to being neutralized by volatile bases including amines; a window made of a substantially transparent material substantially contiguous with said wall; said appropriately porous substrate coated with an acidic acid-base indicator solution being disposed by the mounting of said bacterial biological indicator upon a wall of said enclosure in communication with the interior of said mailing enclosure and interiorly adjacent said window; whereby live bacterial biological agents including Bacillus antracis emitting gaseous amines and toxins produced by said agents inside said mailing enclosure are detected by observing, through said window, the change in color of the acidic acid-base solution coating upon said appropriately porous substrate resulting from pH neutralization.