Patent ID: 7148684
Filing Date: 2006-12-12
Classification: G01R,G01V

Abstract:
1. A method for detecting one or more targeted biological agents in air, comprising: (a) collecting a biological agent from the air and concentrating the biological agent in a liquid to form a sample thereof; (b) placing functionalized nanoparticles in the liquid with the biological agent, wherein the functionalized nanoparticles contain nuclei with a quadrupole moment and wherein the functionalized nanoparticles attach to the one or more targeted biological agents to produce assembled nanoparticle-biological agent composites; (c) filtering and drying the assembled nanoparticle-biological agent composites to form a nanoparticle-biological agent sample; (d) placing the nanoparticle-biological agent sample in a NQR spectrometer, the NQR spectrometer comprising: (e) using the NQR spectrometer to excite the quadrupole nuclei and detect the quadrupole NQR signal and thereby confirm the presence of the one or more targeted biological agents.